Children of Two Worlds
by T'Liana
Summary: A series of snippets and snapshots into the lives of our two beloved Vulcans, these Children of Two Worlds. What did Spock think of Zia when he first walked into class? Where did they have their first date? All genres, and anything can happen! Ch9: Gift of a Friend. Xenophobic peers and best friends; Zia finds that some people at the Academy will despise her, but others won't.
1. An Unexpected Discovery

This is the first chapter of my snippets and snapshots in the lives of Zia and Spock. You will need to read 'Starfleet Academy' and 'Vulcan Hunters' to be able to understand a lot of what goes on. At the beginning of each chapter I'll give a brief summary, just to give you an idea of when the chapter occurs. It's not a continuation of the previous two stories, but it fills in the gaps and answers questions from those stories.

Again, thank you to **MoreColourfulMoniker **for agreeing to beta this story, and for providing some seriously good insight into this chapter.

Summary: Giana and Patty Abbott find a little Vulcan baby and aren't sure whether to keep her or send her away.

o.O.o

**Chapter 1 – An Unexpected Discovery**

Giana Abbott walked straight-backed out of the IVF clinic, her face set in unhappy lines. Another IVF treatment: another unsuccessful pregnancy.

Only sheer determination prevented her from collapsing onto the ground and crying her heart out. For the past two years she'd undergone extensive psychology, drug treatment and surgery to remove the eggs from her body. The eggs were fertilised and placed within her, and all seven treatments had had the same end result: no baby. She fought the urge to kick a park bench, instead marching into the nearest coffee shop and sitting in a booth right in the corner. A waitress came over.

"What would you like?" she asked politely. Her nametag read _Magritte_.

"Nothing, please," Giana murmured, burying her face in her hands. She changed her decision, her voice muffled. "Actually I'll have the triple chocolate cake."

"Coming right up," the waitress said perkily, moving away. As soon as she was gone Giana pulled her communicator from her jacket pocket and dialled a number, pressing it to her ear.

_"__Hey honey! How did it go?"_

"It failed, just like every other time." She bit her lip. "The doctors don't know what's wrong, but they said that I'll _never _have kids." Never was infinite, she knew that, but it still hurt to hear it.

Patty's voice was heartbroken. _"No… is it both of us? I refuse to believe that it's just you. It has to be both of us."_

"No, there's nothing wrong with you. It's all me." She fell silent as the waitress brought her the cake, only speaking when she was out of earshot again. "I can't handle another failure." She ran her hand through her hair. "I guess this is the end of our dream."

_"__There's always adoption."_

"That won't be the same. I just… I'm sorry. I know we swore to have children no matter what, but it's taking its toll."

_"__Hey, I wouldn't care if we never had kids as long as I have you. Where are you? I'll come get you."_

"I'm at the coffee shop just down the road from the clinic, Zaraffa's Coffee."

_"__I'm on my way."_

He hung up and Giana fought back tears, picking up the fork and shovelling the cake into her mouth as fast as possible. Her stomach rebelled but she still ate, grief taking over. A mantra sounded in her head – no children… no children… no children…

"Hey."

Her eyes snapped up and met Patty's. He slid down across from her and took her hands, rubbing his thumbs in circles.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice breaking.

"Don't be sorry," he told her. "This is something couples face, and we will deal with this. I swear it."

"I'm a failure as a wife," she sobbed, pressing her face onto her arm and crying into it. Patty scrambled around the table and threw his arms around her, drawing her close to him and making small reassuring noises. He closed his eyes, feeling his own sadness. What had they done to deserve this hurt? Seven failed pregnancies had definitely affected Giana more than she cared to admit, each time needing severe counselling before she chose to undertake the treatment again. There was no way she was chancing another failure again. Slowly her sobs subsided and she looked up at him, her face red.

"Let's go," he murmured. She nodded and stood, sparing a second to put money on the table, before allowing Patty to put his arm around her and lead her out of the shop. People glanced at them curiously, but said nothing. They crossed the road and he took her down an alley towards the car park where the car was. While walking his foot accidentally kicked a box and a gurgle sounded.

"What was that?" Giana sniffed. She grabbed Patty's arm and stopped him, staring at the box. "It sounded like a baby."

"Who would leave a baby in a box?"

Giana ignored him and knelt beside the box, ripping the tape that enclosed the top and tearing it open. Her hands flew to her mouth to stifle her cry, for inside was a tiny baby, mere hours old, with miniscule pointed ears. "Patty! Oh, Patty! It's a baby!"

He knelt down beside her. "What kinds of parents leave their baby alone in an alley?" He glanced around them, but saw no clues. "No… its parents just left it here."

By this time Giana and picked up the baby and was cradling it in her arms. "It's a she, Patty. It's a little baby girl." She gently stroked the soft pointed ears and twirled around the tuft of dark hair, warmth bubbling in her stomach. "She's beautiful. Her parents don't deserve her for what they've done."

Patty stared at the expression of adoration on his wife's eyes. His own heart melted at the sight and he put his hand on the baby's cheek. "We can't leave her here; anything could happen to her."

"We should take her home and file her as missing." She frowned. "What species do you think she is?"

"That's something else we should find out. Let's just go home."

They stood and continued to the car park, the only difference being the tiny baby curled up in Giana's arms.

o.O.o

The baby was nestled comfortably in Giana's arms, her lips fastened around a milk bottle, suckling it fast. Giana stroked her tiny hands gently, in awe of her.

She had been expecting to have nine months to prepare for having a child. To have this thrust upon her was a bit… overwhelming. While delighted at the experience, she was very uncertain. This baby was most definitely a different species, which type she didn't know, and how would she care for an alien baby? She had no idea where to look for the answers.

"Hey honey," Patty said from the next room. "I think I've found it." He walked into the room with PADD in hand. "If the Web is right, then she's Vulcan."

"_Are you serious_?!"

"Yeah, according to everything here, she's a Vulcan."

"Show me that." Giana stared at the PADD screen.

**_Vulcan_**

_Planet of Origin: Vulcan_

_Affiliation: United Federation of Planets_

_Warp Capable: 320 A.D._

_Classification: Mammalian, Humanoid_

_Environmental Requirements: Warm Class M Conditions_

_Typical Lifespan: 200 Years_

_Sexes: Male, Female_

_Telepathic Abilities: Touch Telepathic_

_Blood Colouration: Green (Copper-Based)_

_Distinctive Features: Pointed Ears and Eyebrows_

"I know them," she exclaimed. "I've heard they're a stuck-up emotionless species!" She gaped at the little girl. "But why would they just abandon you? You're a real sweetie." The girl looked up at her with large eyes and Giana glanced at the pointed ears and the green veins running all over her skin. "What have we gotten ourselves into? We haven't done the prenatal classes, let alone the classes to deal with a Vulcan child. Maybe we should try to contact Vulcan and get them to come and pick her up."

Patty was shocked. He dropped the PADD and sat on the arm of the chair, wrapping an arm around his wife's shoulders. "Honey, why are you giving up?" Her head shot up. "I know you're nervous, but all parenthoods are a challenge."

"But she's not ours-"

"We saved her life! She's only hours old and she would have died if we hadn't found her, Vulcan or not. Think about it. This is a little baby. She hasn't even had a chance to live and her parents abandoned her. Now we found her, so we have a moral obligation to protect her!"

Her anger flared. "She's Vulcan! How would we raise a Vulcan child?! We don't know the first thing about their upbringing. What if some of our food is poisonous to them? Will she age at twice the speed of human children?"

Patty withdrew his arm and stood, but instead of being furious he looked defeated. "This is what we've wanted for years, Giana. Is it because she's not human? Is it because she's not our flesh and blood? It makes no difference. She has no one to love her in this world, not even her parents." He knelt in front of her and rested his hands on her knees. "I know you're scared, but at least consider the possibility that she could be our _daughter_. We can research Vulcan children and figure it out."

He was right: she was scared. She was scared about what this could mean. What if they did take responsibility for the baby? Would they…?

And she realised that it wasn't just about them. She had been thinking about her and Patty and how they would cope, and she'd neglected the most important thing. What would it mean for the child? They could give her a second chance in life, maybe even a better one. From what little she knew of Vulcans, they did nothing related to emotion. Given the chance, was it right to drag this girl away from that and deposit her into a completely different life.

Her eyes locked with Patty's. Those same eyes that had looked at her with passion and fire were now filled with sadness and desperation. She knew that he wouldn't try to pressure her into anything, but really the answer was obvious.

"I'm sorry for being selfish," she murmured. "You're right; we could give her a second chance. She most likely would have died."

"We wouldn't have been given this opportunity if we weren't strong enough to handle it."

Her gaze strayed to the child dozing in her arms. "This will be a big challenge."

"Do you still want to contact Vulcan?"

"No." She had made her decision. "Her parents are Vulcan and they rejected her, leaving her to die. I don't know what they thought, but they have no love for her or her potential. If we sent her to Vulcan then she would probably live in an orphanage, subject to the bitterness that her parents didn't want her. It's better to show her love as a human than show neglect as a Vulcan. I think that she would be miserable on Vulcan, but here we can actually prevent that feeling. We can do more good if we take her in than if we send her away."

Patty smiled and leaned forward, kissing Giana gently.

"We can do this," he said confidently.

"I hope we can."

o.O.o

The Utah Government Building was an intimidating place. It was lined with white columns and the Federation flag waved lazily in the wind at passers-by.

Patty and Giana walked up the steps nervously. A week had passed since they made their request and a meeting had finally been arranged to decide whether the baby would become theirs or sent back to Vulcan. The matter was completely out of their hands.

In the past week they had both fallen in love with the girl, opting not to name her lest she be sent away. Giana had spent a lot of time with the girl in her arms, feeding her milk, rocking her to sleep and reading to her. The baby had grown on her, and she quite liked the little pointed ears. They reminded her of the pixies she'd read about in stories when she was a little girl. There was something else, this depth and wisdom to her large eyes that Giana found endearing – she looked like she'd lived hundreds of years already, yet she was only a week old. Her gaze was always steady, she hadn't cried, and she was already trying to say her first word. To Giana, she was beautiful. How could she have been ready to give up?

Giana took a deep breath and gripped the little Vulcan tighter in her arms. "Let's do this."

They entered the building and went to the front desk. Upon seeing them, the yeoman stood.

"Welcome Mister and Messrs Abbott," she said warmly. "Admiral Briggs will see you now. You are aware of his office location?"

"Yes, thank you," Patty nodded. He gripped Giana's elbow and steered her through the corridors. It annoyed her a bit, but she was too nervous to snap at him.

They entered the office and Admiral Briggs looked up from his desk, flanked by two other senior officers. Their eyes were locked on the baby.

"Thank you for coming," the Admiral said. "Please take a seat. We have much to discuss." They did as they were asked and Giana rocked the baby from side-to-side.

The officer behind him stood. "We are here today to discuss the custody over unnamed Vulcan child," she said crisply. "Mister and Messrs Abbott, do you have anything you wish to say before we begin?"

Patty nodded. "Have you already spoken to the Vulcan High Council?" That was one of the many terms he'd learnt during his research into Vulcans.

"No." The officer glanced at Briggs and her lips uptilted. "Admiral Briggs feels that, as her current caretakers, you had a right to make your case first."

Admiral Briggs smiled. Giana prayed that they were on her side. "Now, we will begin." He cleared his throat and the other officer brought out a PADD. "This is Yeoman Alcester – he'll be recording this meeting. On my other side is Lieutenant Davis – she'll be overseeing the political side of things."

"Please to meet you," Giana said, her voice shaking.

"There's no need to be nervous," Admiral Briggs said calmly. "We haven't really begun. Now, where and when did you find her?"

Patty glanced at Giana, noted her pale face, and decided to take charge. "Eight days ago we were walking home from Zaraffa's Coffee and found her in a plain cardboard box. I have a photo of the box that I took when I went back." He took out his miniature PADD from his jacket pocket and showed them the photo. "I work in construction and examined the whole box. It's just a cardboard box with no markings or clue as to where it came from."

Admiral Briggs opened the file on his desk. "You filed the notice seven days ago, as well as a request to adopt her and name her a citizen of Earth." He looked up at them, evidently curious. "Why?"

"Well…" Patty took a shaky breath, knowing that he couldn't hide anything for the sake of the child. "We've been trying to have a baby for three years, and my wife has undergone seven IVF treatments in that time. Nothing's worked, and we do think that we would make good parents for her."

"Interesting," Lieutenant Davis murmured, "very interesting. Human rates of infertility are almost non-existent, especially in under-thirty-fives." She picked a file up from another side of the desk – their medical files. "According to your files, both of you are completely healthy and should be able to create children."

Admiral Briggs cleared his throat. "We aren't here to discuss this. We're here to discuss the custody of the child."

"Yes Admiral," the Lieutenant said quickly, closing the file.

"Now, Mister Abbott, are you aware of Vulcan culture and lifestyle?"

"I have done lots of research on it, yes."

"What have you learned?"

"I learned that we cannot give her chocolate, her biology is very different from ours with a higher heart-rate and copper-based blood, alcohol will not affect her and she doesn't sweat. Also, Vulcans are touch-telepathic." Patty looked very pleased with his knowledge.

"I'm impressed," Admiral Briggs said approvingly. "What have you decided to name her?"

Patty and Giana exchanged another glance. "We haven't named her," he explained. "It would make it harder to let her go if she was sent to Vulcan."

Lieutenant Davis stuck her hand up. "Have you done a DNA test?"

"A doctor pricked her finger," Patty admitted, "and it showed that she's one-hundred percent Vulcan."

Yeoman Alcester made a note. "When was this test?" he asked

"Three days ago."

Admiral Briggs smiled. "Are you willing to raise her as your own, even though she should be sent back to Vulcan with her own kind?"

Giana's head shot up and she spoke for the first time. "What do you mean?"

The Admiral smiled. "You're her caretakers, and even though she's a Vulcan it's up to you with what happens to her." He clicked his fingers. "Alcester, don't write this down. Privately, I think you'll be better for her than sending her to Vulcan and spending the rest of your lives wondering what's become of her."

"We did think that it might affect her if she grew up alone on Vulcan knowing that her parents abandoned her," Giana pointed out. "We've both become very protective of her and would love to raise her as our own."

Admiral Briggs clicked his fingers again. "I think the case is clear. Davis, could you please get the paperwork?"

"Yes Admiral." She turned to the filing cabinet behind Yeoman Alcester and pulled out a file, handing it to the Admiral.

"Now, you need to pick a name and declare legal guardianship," he told them.

"Are you serious?" Giana gaped.

He smiled warmly. "I respect family, Messrs Abbott. I think everyone deserves a second chance when it comes to that."

Tears formed in her eyes. "What about the Vulcan High Council?"

Lieutenant Davis chuckled. "They have six million Vulcans, and the report you filed a week ago says that she was abandoned. There must be a reason for her abandonment, and I'm sure you don't want to go into that debacle with the High Council. What if she was left here for a reason, like some kind of scandal? I'm sure we can do more good for Vulcan by keeping her here."

"I did not think of that," Giana said softly. She couldn't believe this. The baby could be theirs because of a sympathetic Admiral and Lieutenant!

"Will Starfleet approve?" Patty asked.

"We _are _Starfleet here," Admiral Briggs pointed out, "and only we are responsible for our actions. I think that the child would benefit more if she stays with you, and you would benefit more if you kept her."

A single tear ran down Giana's face. "Thank you," she murmured huskily, wiping the tear away.

"What will you call her?" Lieutenant Davis asked.

Patty smiled wide. "Zia," he replied, "little Zia Abbott." He picked up a pen and filled out the form, giving her name, species, gender, age, new adoptive parents and residence. It was overwhelming, the fact that they were keeping the child since Starfleet wanted to avoid a spectacle with Vulcan, so it was to be kept quiet.

And it was done. Admiral Briggs signed the paper and Zia Abbott was legally theirs. It was unbelievable.

"It was a pleasure talking to you today," Admiral Briggs said friendlily. "I hope I've helped you complete your dream."

"I hope we've helped you avoid possible awkwardness with Vulcan," Patty replied. "We're forever indebted to you."

"We're doing our job of keeping the Federation functioning." The Admiral shrugged. "Plus it pays to do good things for people, because it makes the world a better place."

Now Giana was crying freely, holding Zia tight against her body.

"Thank you," she whispered, "thank you."

o.O.o

They were numb when they got home, Patty clutching the papers tightly in his fist. Giana refused to let go of Zia, believing that they were sleeping and would wake to find it all a dream.

"We have our own child!" she cried. Prenatal classes were useless now, seeing as caring for Zia came naturally. She was in awe of the little bundle of joy in her arms, hardly believing it to be real, no matter how much Patty told her it was the truth.

Sitting in his comfy armchair with a book in his lap, Patty marvelled at the change that Zia had wrought in Giana. Before finding the Vulcan, she was ready to give up and a week later she was happier than he'd seen her in a very long time. A smile had covered her face since before they arrived home, staying there as she bathed the baby, fed her and played with her. It was a huge transformation and he loved it.

She picked up Zia and came over, scratching under her neck. The little girl giggled and gurgled, gazing up at Giana with large eyes. "You, my sweet, are worth it all." She sat on the arm of Patty's chair and wrapped her free arm around her husband. "I love you."

He entwined their fingers together. "I love you too."

At that moment there was a knock on the door. Patty waved Giana back and crossed the room, opening the door. One of their good friends stood outside, a woman around their age named Doctor Lyn. "Come in."

"Hey," she said hesitantly, stepping inside. "How did it go today?"

"We got custody!" Giana said excitedly, joining them. Lyn grinned at the baby.

"I can teach her everything there is to know about science," she laughed, stroking Zia's head. "It'll make my PhD worthwhile. What have you called her?"

"We called her Zia Abbott," Patty said proudly.

"That's a beautiful name. She's a beautiful baby. I reckon she'll do great things one day, hopefully science-related!" Lyn winked. "But I should warn you, you should be careful. Not everyone in this town is too fond of Vulcans." She bent over, kissing Zia's forehead. "I'm really excited for all your futures'." She waved at them and walked back to the door.

"Where are you going?" Giana asked.

"I only stopped in for a brief visit," Lyn explained. "I've got things to do. I guess I'll see you around?"

"Yes, thank you," Giana and Patty said in unison. Lyn waved again and left, closing the door behind her.

Giana turned to Patty and kissed him deeply. "I can't wait."

She had a good feeling about Zia. As soon as their eyes met, Giana was in love with her. This was supposed to be their child to bring up, she was sure of it, and she was going to do a kick-ass job as a mum. Yeah, IVF hadn't worked, but now she was reaping the rewards from her misfortunes. It seemed that life had given her a second chance, in the form of a little Vulcan baby named Zia Abbott.

And she wasn't going to toss that chance aside, no way.


	2. First Day of Kindergarten

Thank you to all those people who followed, favourited and reviewed the first chapter! I love you all! Again, you have to have read 'Starfleet Academy' and 'Vulcan Hunters' to know what direction these little snippets are going.

And another thanks for **MoreColourfulMoniker **for approval and input of this chapter.

Summary: Five-year-old Zia begins kindergarten and is faced with not knowing who she is.

o.O.o

**Chapter 2 – First Day of Kindergarten**

At the age of five, it was customary for Vulcans to have already begun their childhood training. They would already be learning Warping equations, complicated string theory and countless other genius things. They would be groomed to become the next generation of Vulcan geniuses.

Not Zia. She huddled behind a clump of snow that was supposed to resemble a snowman, staying as far out of sight as possible so no flying snowballs would come her way.

It was the first day of kindergarten for the hundred children who were turning six that year. Most of them knew each other from playgroup or their parents and were merely being reacquainted. Miss Cho and Miss Kelly were the two tutors who would teach the children things like drawing, counting, reading and crafting – all the easy stuff. They were quite nice, but their voices were just a bit condescending.

Zia hated cold. She hated crouching behind that snowman in the cold and wet. Most of the other children loved snow, but she hated it for some reason. Their shouts rang through the still air, their little feet crunched on the dry snow like it was glass, and their small hands bundling the wetness into a ball and throwing it at each other. Why Miss Cho had told them to run around for the morning, Zia didn't know.

Summer was the best with its dry temperature, the warm sun beckoning her to begin her day. There were birds chirping and so many things to do before the sun went down! And at night her toes wouldn't freeze under the sheets, hence why mummy had had to buy her thermal socks. Compared to summer, winter was double awful.

Sensing a lull in the game, Zia darted out from behind the snowman and to the squat kindergarten building with foggy windows. She just managed to duck an incoming snowball, almost losing her beanie in the process, and leapt for shelter inside the building. There was no one else inside as she stood behind the door, panting. Since she was cold she went across the room to the fireplace and stood on her toes to press the button and turn it on. She was much taller than all the other children and able to reach places that they couldn't, which she was pleased about because nearly all of them were older than her. Once the fire was crackling merrily she sat cross-legged in front of it, her gloved hands held out to capture the warmth.

"Why aren't you outside with the other kids? What are you doing? How did you turn on the fireplace?"

Zia jumped like her hand was caught inside the cookie jar and spotted Miss Cho coming out of the back room with her hands full of stationary equipment. "I-I'm sorry Miss Cho. Do you want me to go back outside?"

"Oh no, you're already inside." She put the stationary in a tray at one of the low desks and knelt beside her. "What's your name?"

"I'm Zia Abbott." Satisfied that she wasn't in any trouble, she settled back down in front of the warmth of the fire. "Is Miss Kelly outside?"

"Yes. Why aren't you outside?"

"I hate being cold."

"If you ran around with the other kids then you wouldn't be cold."

Zia shrugged and looked at the fire. "It's quiet here."

Miss Cho tilted her head curiously, but Zia ignored her. She'd just had this thought about how fires were actually started. There was a spark, and that spark was started by heat… heat was generated by… what? She had to find out.

"Do you have any friends?"

"Well I know a few of them from playgroup. They all know I hate winter."

Sighing, Miss Cho stood and ruffled Zia's beanie, knocking it off accidentally. Zia looked up at her in confusion and the woman gasped. "What are you…?"

Zia frowned and reached for her beanie, putting it back on. "What do you mean?" She stood too, staring up at Miss Cho.

The woman bit her lip. "Are you human?"

"Of course I am," Zia said indignantly. "Why would you ask?"

Miss Cho shrugged. "Oh, it's nothing. Why don't you go and play with the other children?"

Zia glanced outside at the icy grey sky with weak rays of light shining through. "Okay. When can I come back inside?"

"The bell is going in an hour for lunch, so you can come back inside in an hour."

"Yes!" Zia beamed and raced outside, opting to brave the snow. It wouldn't do to get in trouble on her first day. The other children had abandoned their snowball fight and were huddled in the centre of the yard. One boy looked up at her.

"Come and play with us!" he called. Zia joined the circle.

"What are we playing?"

"We're playing 'Catch the Klingons'." They looked in the middle of the cluster where another boy was sitting on the ground counting feet.

"Nine… ten… one… two… three… four…" He counted to ten three times, as he didn't know anything higher than 10. The third 10 finished at a girl across from Zia. "You're a Starfleet Officer!" he handed her a toy gun. "We're evil Klingons. Catch us if you can!"

At once the children scattered, Zia laughing and becoming one of them.

o.O.o

"Okay kids, time to come inside!" Miss Kelly called. The hundred children cried with delight and converged at the door, trickling inside slowly. Zia squeezed in between a boy she knew from playgroup, Dane Caster, and a girl with a gap-tooth. She stood uncertainly with the others and waited for them to hush.

Miss Cho strolled in, her eyes scanning the sea of young faces and resting on Zia's. The young girl didn't like her tutor. There was this sense about her, like she knew something Zia didn't, and it unnerved the girl.

"It's morning-tea time," Miss Cho announced. "Your lunch boxes are in your cubbies where you put them when you got here. I will count ten of you at a time to go and get your food." She moved through the children, sending them to get their food in small groups. Zia rushed to grab her lunchbox with some other children and sat with them. Mummy and daddy had packed her a cucumber sandwich and a small container of potato salad. She loved cucumber sandwiches and potato salad; the synthesiser at home was programmed to perfection.

While she bit down into her sandwich, a tiny white-haired girl wearing a pink jumpsuit sat beside her. "Hi!" she said in a voice thick with an Oklahoman twang. "I'm Victoria. What's your name?"

"Zia," she replied, swallowing her bite of sandwich. "Are you new here?"

"Ya, I came here from Oklahoma a while ago," Victoria said proudly. "My big sister is cool. She gave me the top bunk!"

"You have a sister?" Zia sighed. "I would love a sister."

"Well she's sometimes really mean." Victoria opened her lunchbox to reveal a sandwich with chocolate instead of butter, a bottle of juice and a packet of sweets.

Zia stared. "That food isn't good for you."

"Yes it is." Victoria was confused. "It's the best food ever. Daddy always lets me have this food." She held out a sweet. "Try one!"

She hesitated. "Okay, but only one. I can't have chocolate though – I'm allergic."

"What does that mean?"

Zia popped the sweet in her mouth. "It means that I can't eat chocolate." She remembered the first time she'd ever had chocolate. Mummy had let her have a piece of chocolate for being a good girl, and instead it made her head go fuzzy. The next day she'd woken with her head hurting and mummy told her that she was allergic. It even affected her when she drank chocolate milk, so she steered clear from all chocolate. It was a pity because she quite liked the taste.

Victoria shrugged. "I guess that's okay." They spent the rest of their lunchbreak eating and talking about how different the weather was in Utah compared to Oklahoma. Then Miss Cho walked among them and made an announcement:

"We'll be drawing today!"

The girls had finished their food by then, and Victoria's face lit up. "Do you want to draw with me?"

"Yes!" Zia exclaimed. "I love drawing stars and test tubes. I love science!"

Her new friend giggled. "That's weird! I love drawing flowers and people." They took their lunchboxes back to the cubbies and sat at a table with a group of other children to draw.

o.O.o

Zia was a big girl. Mummy and daddy had taught her how to cross roads and she used that knowledge to cross the two roads to her home. Unknown to her, she was already much more intelligent and alert than all of her peers put together, so mummy and daddy were willing to let her walk home on her own. Of course, mummy had an appointment and daddy was working so they couldn't pick her up. She swelled with pride as she waded through the snow, backpack on and beanie pulled tightly around her ears to keep them warm. Kindergarten was so much fun! She couldn't wait to go back!

She reached her home without any trouble and opened the door, striding inside importantly. Immediately she went for the fire and switched it on, curling up in front of it and dozing off. It was so warm…

"Hey baby girl!"

At daddy's shout, Zia woke and leapt to her feet in shock. She registered daddy standing at the door with his arms spread wide and ran into them, hugging him tightly.

"Hi daddy!" she said excitedly. "Kindergarten is so much fun! I felt like such a grown-up!"

Daddy laughed, tugging off her beanie and ruffling his fingers through her hair. "Sometimes you act a lot like a grown-up. You're probably smarter than me!"

She looked up at him in shock, her chin resting on his stomach. "But you're daddy! No one is smarter than you except mummy!"

He chuckled and bent down, kissing the top of her head. "You're such a special girl. Mummy should be getting back soon. Now," he glanced around and wrinkled his brow, "why is it so hot in here?"

"I was cold daddy," she mumbled, letting him go and racing to the fire, plonking down in front of it. "What's for dinner?"

"Now you should let mummy figure out all that. Daddy's going for a shower."

As he began to walk up the steps she shouted after him: "I love you daddy!"

Now he was gone, Zia got comfortable again and stared in the fire. There was something still bothering her. Why was Miss Cho acting so weird around her? It was unsettling and Zia hoped that it would go away. She didn't like people treating her strangely.

The front door opened and mummy walked through, unwinding her scarf. She saw Zia and ran to her daughter, sliding into a sitting position beside her.

"And how was my beautiful girl's first day?" she asked, draping her scarf over her daughter's shoulders.

"It was great!" Zia curled up in mummy's lap. "I made a new friend!"

"I'm glad honey," mummy said soothingly. "You should make some really good friends."

Now something else bothered Zia. Mummy had just used the same voice tone as Miss Cho.


	3. A Vulcan, Bored? Never!

It's coming up on that intense time of term, where everything is due and exams are aplenty. I tend to write a lot of short stories during exams if I have time to spare. Is there any little drabble you would like to read? If there is, review and let me know and you may see your short story idea popping up within the next few weeks!

**MoreColoufulMoniker **is the best beta ever.

Summary: Spock learns to cook with the help of his mother.

o.O.o

**Chapter 3 – A Vulcan, Bored? Never!**

It had been a week since Spock had been suspended from his institution. To put it plainly, he was bored. He should be in class right now, learning as much about quantum physics and calculus as he could. It was illogical to hinder his learning capabilities by cancelling his attendance to class.

This emotion was not his fault. A group of older Vulcans had been striving for an emotional response from him on countless occasions, and this time they'd succeeded. He was upset with himself, having given in to the emotion so soon after getting full marks on his latest examination. But they had insulted Mother, and that could not go unpunished.

"Spock?"

His spine became rigid at her voice and he entwined his hands in his lap, crossing his ankles, sitting on his bed with his back to the door. "Yes Mother?"

"Spock…" She sighed and walked around the bed to sit beside him. "You shouldn't be moping around like this. Why don't I get the institution to send us the worksheets from class?"

"It is not necessary," Spock shook his head. "I will simply manage my time more efficiently when I return to classes."

Mother gently put an arm around his shoulder and he didn't resist. "How about I make a proposal?"

"I do not object."

"Would you like to learn how to cook? You've still got a week left of suspension and you can learn something new."

That was a very attractive offer. Spock tilted his head, considering. He would never admit it, being a Vulcan, but he would enjoy learning something new. Knowing to cook was a rare skill indeed, as most beings simply used a synthesiser, and it may assist him in later life.

"Knowing to cook is illogical, given that we use synthesisers to consume food," he said experimentally.

"I know, but I can't bear to see you looking so miserable."

"Mother, I am not miserable."

She squeezed him gently. "Do you want to make a cake for Father for when he gets back from work?"

"I do not object," he repeated. They stood and went to the kitchen that Mother had specifically installed due to her human needs. For the first time Spock didn't think of it as a waste of space. He was feeling lighter than usual since he was going to learn something new.

Mother looked amused as he stood uncertainly, not knowing where to begin. "Oh," she sighed, "you Vulcans think that physics and knowledge of complicated algorithms are the most important things in the world. How do you expect to be healthy if you don't know how to prepare your own food?"

"I would purchase a synthesiser," Spock replied.

At that, Mother opened a cupboard and pulled out a metal bowl. "You know what I mean. I want you to be able to cook so you can impress women in the future."

"That is illogical, given that I am already bonded with T'Pring."

Mother made a face that almost caused Spock to crack a smile. "I don't like her at all. She's only bonded to you because your family is rich."

"I am aware." He couldn't let her know just how excited he was to learn to cook, but he was certain that he would not use it to impress another woman. T'Pring was going to be his wife and he could not be unfaithful. It was the Vulcan way.

He still remembered the ceremony three years ago.

_In the sands outside one of the ancient Vulcan temples the matriarch of the House of Surak, Lady T'Pau, stood with two young children and four adults: their parents._

_Lady T'Pau held out her arms and a wind whipped the sleeves of her robes around. Dust peppered the faces of the participants and ruffled the hair of the two beautiful children with pointed ears and slanted eyebrows._

_"__Greetings to everyone present," Lady T'Pau began. "We are gathered on these sands for the bonding of Spock and T'Pring." She turned to the boy's father. "Sarek, son of Skon, son of Solkar, is your child the age for bonding?"_

_"__He is," Sarek replied._

_Lady T'Pau nodded and turned to the girl's father. "Soren, son of Senvar, son of Vorik, is your child of age for bonding?"_

_"__She is," Soren replied._

_At those words, Lady T'Pau beckoned the children forward to stand in front of her. "Let it begin." Behind the boy, a human woman creased her brow with worry. "Spock, son of Sarek and Amanda, are you prepared for bonding?"_

_"__I am," replied the young boy._

_"__T'Pring, daughter of Soren and T'Hain, are you prepared for bonding?"_

_"__I am," replied the young girl._

_Lady T'Pau reached out both hands, pressing each one to a child's face. They closed their eyes and the mind-link was established. "Our minds," Lady T'Pau said hypnotically, "one and together… touching, yet not touching; apart, yet never apart…"_

_Spock took a deep breath. "Touching, yet not touching; apart, yet never apart…"_

_T'Pring did the same. "Touching, yet not touching; apart, yet never apart…"_

_They spoke in unison. "We are one."_

_Lady T'Pau nodded for the parents' benefit. "The bonding has succeeded." She broke the link and both children blinked. "When the pon farr comes, you will return to this place for the kun-ut kali-fi. Peace and long life."_

_Spock looked at T'Pring, a worm of sadness creeping in him. He didn't wish to be bonded with her, but it was their way. He had secretly hoped that he could escape the bonding and find a relationship like the one his parents shared. That was something he would never get with her. He knew he was so predictably, pathetically human._

_She met his gaze with sharp eyes and they spoke together. "Live long and prosper."_

After that there had been a string of disasters. First, Spock's beloved pet sehlat, which had originally belonged to Father, had been killed later that year as a result from an attack by a le-matya. He missed I-Chaya, as he had been Spock's best friend, and it was on his decision that I-Chaya was euthanized to end his suffering.

And now a group of older Vulcan boys were bullying Spock. They had abused him verbally, and eventually emotionally. He was ashamed for allowing his human emotions to take control, but he did not regret beating up that other boy. That bully had deserved every punch.

While he had been silently musing, Mother had gotten out all the ingredients for a cake. The corners of her mouth were uptilted as she watched Spock's slack face become suddenly alert.

"Let's get started," she grinned, swiping her hair behind her head. "First, let's wash our hands. It wouldn't do to have all the little bacteria on our hands sneak into the cake." They stuck their hands under the sonic sink where all bacteria were blasted from them.

"What recipe of cake will we bake?" Spock asked. "Your choice of ingredients indicates vanilla and raspberry."

"I'm impressed," she smiled. "Now what should you do first?"

He tilted his head, considering. "Logic dictates that a cake cannot be made without a base."

"Normally, yes, but this cake doesn't need a base," Mother pointed out. Spock mentally kicked himself. "All it needs is the right mixture." She proceeded to collect an array of utensils that would assist in the making of their cake. He watched her every move, filing it all away for future reference.

But there was something that confused him. "I am unsure as to what this object does," he told her, pointing to a metal utensil with looped wires.

She picked it up. "This is a whisk. We'll be using it to beat the whole mixture together."

"Oh." He felt rather foolish. "I see."

That made her smile and she beckoned him to stand beside her. "Now we need the right amount of butter and caster sugar. Your job is to melt the butter and sugar together so you can't differentiate between the two."

"I understand," he replied, pleased to understand the concept that went with congealing the butter and sugar together. Mother put the right amount of measured butter and sugar and set it in a pot, placing that pot on the cooktop and turning the knob to halfway. Spock picked up a wooden spoon and began to mix the ingredients together, patiently waiting for the cells to break down and meld together. He continued to stir as Mother began measuring out flour, self-rising flour and vanilla.

"Your father taught me how to make Vulcan dishes," she said absent-mindedly. "M'lu is my favourite one to make. You'll have to make that for me one day."

He didn't think it would be wise to tell her that he'd be pleased to do that. Instead he said, "I am certain that I will learn the technique to be able to make a suitable dish."

She came over and checked the pot. "This is ready. Take it over here and we'll do some more." He did as she asked. "I've measured all this out, so just sift it into the pot and put in a couple eggs."

Taking stock of all the equipment, he hovered his hand over each one until she nodded, holding the mesh over the pot and tipping the flour and vanilla into it. As the flour hit the pot a cloud of it flew up in the air, bursting in Spock's face and coating his head. He blinked and shook his head, coughing slightly.

Mother was laughing so hard! She doubled over at the sight of her son covered in flour, holding her stomach tightly. "Wow, you're comical!" she giggled, supressing a snort. Spock shook his whole body and continued sifting flour as if nothing had happened, but he was a bit more reserved this time. When Mother finally regained her composure all the flour and vanilla was in the mixture.

"I trust you have satisfied your need for amusement," he said stiffly. Mother smiled widely.

"Yes." She cleared her throat. "Now if you want to crack an egg, just tap it on the side of the pot like this, see? Then pull it apart gently and let it all go into the mixture, making sure that none of the shell gets in there."

Spock wiped his flour-covered sleeve on his face, smudging it all. Mother stifled another chuckle and he ignored it, instead mimicking her movements with cracking the egg. He did this with three more until they were all in the pot. "What now?" he asked.

"I'll mix it," she offered. "You should wash your face."

He did it gladly, ducking into his room to change his shirt too. Once he was flour-free (except for the layer powdering his hair) he went back to the kitchen and found Mother finishing off the cream-coloured mixture with some raspberries. His mouth watered at the smell.

"Has the oven been activated?" he asked uncertainly. Any sensible person knew that a cake needed to be cooked in an oven.

"Of course," she nodded, pouring the mixture into a rounded cake tin. "I turned it on when we began." She took the cake tin over to the oven, opened the door and slid it inside. Brushing her hands, she closed it with her knee and turned around, heading for the sink. "Now comes the not-so-fun part," she sighed, "the washing up. Spock, would you like to dry the dishes?"

"I would not object." He joined her at the sink and for the next ten minutes they cleaned up all the cooking equipment. Mother spoke happily of the upcoming convention on Earth, stating that they would have to go and see her human relatives while they were visiting. Spock was willing to go to the convention, but not to see his human relatives. They were strange around him, believing him to be a freak of nature. As far as he knew there were no other Vulcans currently who had the issue of being a child of two worlds. They had their place, as humans had theirs, and hybrids were to be pitied for they could not belong anywhere.

The cake was left to bake for forty minutes. In that time Spock turned on his PADD and looked up interesting recipes that he would like to try and make. He was aware of Mother peering over his shoulder and she even gave him some ideas.

"Rice is good with cooking," she suggested. "Try finding recipes that use t'mirak rice."

So he did that, and was shocked at the amount of recipes. He scrolled through each one individually, bookmarking the ones he would love to make and try. There were quite a few of those.

When the oven timer went off Mother took the cake out and set it out to cool. Spock continued to search for recipes, this time looking at Vulcan desserts. The recipe for saffir caught his eye and he remembered how delicious it was. Perhaps Mother had made those by hand and that was why they were so wonderful? He also marked the recipe for m'lu, deciding to make that for dinner._ Mother should be pleasantly delighted at this surprise_, he thought.

The front door chimed as it slid open and Sarek stepped through, his face as stoic as usual. He greeted his family with a nod and sunk on his couch, back rigid in an attempt to keep as much Vulcan dignity as possible.

In the kitchen, Mother dusted the cake with icing sugar before cutting a piece in secret. "How was your day?"

Father laid his PADD in his lap. "I discussed upcoming political events with my fellow councillors. It was an engaging conversation."

She put the cake slice on a plate and took it to Father, presenting it to him. "Spock and I made this. He's taken quite a liking to cooking."

At the mention of his name, Spock's head shot up. Father was watching him calculatingly. For a second he feared disproval, but then Father's eyes softened. "It is logical that one has a particular hobby in which they find satisfaction," Father said to both of them, ceasing to speak as he began to eat his cake. A fleeting look crossed his face and he took another bite, and another until it was all gone.

Spock stood. "If it is no issue Mother, I wish to prepare m'lu for our evening meal."

Mother smiled. "It's okay Spock. Would you like help?"

"I would rather attempt this on my own. It is the best way to learn." He tucked his PADD under his arm and went to the kitchen, eyeing the vanilla cake as he passed.

From that day forward Spock had been passionate about cooking, but he kept it a secret from everyone but Mother and Father. It was something he did to calm himself and he did admit that he preferred cooking his own food to getting pre-prepared meals from the synthesiser.

When Mother died, he cooked to honour her memory. He cooked to show respect from the woman he'd loved the most in his life. She told him that he could one day impress a woman with his cooking, and he did. The woman he impressed was his beloved mother, Amanda Grayson.


	4. Where It All Began

This was the hardest chapter to write, mainly because of what happens. But it all had to begin somewhere. It was tough deciding whether or not to have this chapter, but it's one of those chapters that you feel you have to add because it's very important. Although I warn you that it does contain plenty of emotion. Good time for you to put on your Vulcan masks if you do find it sad.

Kudos for my beta **MoreColourfulMoniker**.

Summary: Zia finds out what she is in the worst way possible.

o.O.o

**Chapter 4 – Where It All Began**

It was a beautiful spring day. Zia skipped along the road on her way home from college, humming a happy tune. She was having so much fun in Grade 5; today was one of the best days she'd had all year. That morning in _English_ her class did a spelling test and she'd received full-marks, getting the word 'biennial' right when everyone else got it wrong. Then in _Mathematics _she finally mastered the interest formula, which was something she'd been working on since learning it a week ago. In _Science _they were studying volcanoes and she figured out just what happened to volcanoes when they were active – they were extremely volatile and could only be stopped with a cold-fusion device. When she got home she wanted to do some research into cold-fusion; it was just fascinating. That day had been a brilliant day.

"Hey!"

Stopping, she glanced around and saw a group of other ten-year-olds in her grade. She smiled as she saw Dane and Victoria at the front, coming towards her. But she was confused. They went home a different path to her, so why would they be coming this way?

As they came level with her she waved. "Why are you here?" she asked.

Dane's eyes met hers and she shivered. There was none of the warmth she was accustomed too. This wasn't Dane; this was someone else. He had never looked at her with such hate. Fear wormed into her belly as she realised that everyone – even Victoria – was staring at her the same way.

"Hello Zia," Dane said coldly.

"What's going on?" she asked nervously, backing away a few steps. "I don't like this."

The group stopped except for Dane. He came very close to her. "Do you know what you are?" he asked threateningly.

"Um, I'm a person…?"

"WRONG!" His hand came from nowhere and smacked her right in the face. She fell to the ground, stunned. "You're a FREAK!"

"But, but," she blubbered, shocked and afraid. Pain was all she could feel. Dane advanced on her and she scrambled backwards, fearing another strike. Her cheek was already stinging. "I don't understand!"

"Ask your _parents_," he said mockingly. As he pulled his hand back to hit her again, she rolled backwards, leapt to her feet and raced away without looking back.

o.O.o

The door slammed open with a _BANG_! Two humans leapt to their feet, startled, and the woman was enveloped in gangly arms.

"Mummy, help!" Zia wailed. She buried her face in Mummy's shirt.

"Whoa, whoa darling," Mummy said soothingly, running her hands through Zia's hair, "what's the matter?"

Zia was crying too hard to say anything else. Her face was green and was that a bruise on her face…?

Daddy rushed over, fell to his knees and wrapped his arms around Zia, holding her tightly. He made shushing noises and stared up at Mummy in worry. Slowly Zia quietened down, although she convulsed with hiccups and was shaking from head to toe.

Finally she looked up at Mummy. "Dane isn't my friend anymore." Her lip trembled. "He called me a freak and hit me. Why was he mean?" Her eyes filled with tears again.

Mummy knelt down too, holding Zia at arms' length. "Dane hit you?" she asked in disbelief. Zia nodded. "That is not right! I'm going to march over to the Caster's and give them a piece of my mind!" Preparing to stand, she was stopped as Daddy shook his head.

"Zia," he said softly, "why did Dane call you a freak?"

She sniffed. "He came to me with some of my friends when I was coming home. I don't know why he called me a freak. It was mean."

Mummy was bristling with rage, her eyes narrowed. "No one hurts my little girl."

Something stirred in Zia's mind. "What am I?"

All the rage went out like a light. "What?"

"Dane said that I don't know what I am. He spoke like we weren't friends, like I wasn't like him. Am I like him?" She was trying her best to quell the fear, but it was impossible. No one had hit her before and she simply couldn't understand anything right now. It was as if her whole world had been turned upside-down.

Daddy shared a _look _with Mummy and turned Zia around to face him. "Sweetheart, we'd hoped that you would be older by the time we had to tell you."

"Tell me what?"

He took a deep breath. "You're adopted."

Everything slowed. This couldn't be right. It couldn't be true. Mummy and Daddy were her parents and they loved her. They were the only people she remembered. The thought of not being their daughter, even if it was true well, it was absurd. Why would they lie to her for her whole life? If they loved her then they wouldn't lie. There was just no way that she could be adopted.

Mummy touched Zia's arm. "It's true. We found you as a baby and took you in."

"But… you're my Mummy and Daddy. You told me! You never lie!"

"Sweetie, we're your adoptive parents. We don't know who your true parents are, but they weren't human."

A cold hand clawed its way into Zia's body. "Who were they?"

"We don't know, but they were Vulcans."

Her blood ran cold. She wasn't… human? Not only was she adopted but she was a Vulcan too, whatever that was. This was too much to take in!

"Mummies and daddies aren't supposed to lie."

With that, she turned and ran from the house, Mummy and Daddy crying out after her. She ran aimlessly, not wanting to come across anyone else. Right now she needed space and some time to think. She needed to figure out why Dane had been so mean and ruined her great day.

It was a surprise to end up at the public swimming pool. After checking the signs she realised it was closed for the day and she climbed over the wall with little difficulty, landing on the concrete floor without a sound. She strolled over to the water, staring into its clear depths and pursing her lips as she knew she couldn't swim. Well, it couldn't be that hard to learn. She pulled off her skirt and tights, shirt and boots until she was just in her panties.

At first contact the water was cold. She touched it with her toe and recoiled nervously. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea… maybe she should just find a good place to hide.

Yet, she always liked to learn something new. So she pushed aside the doubt and slid into the water, shivering at the sudden coldness. Blood rushed to her hands and she stared at them, noticing for the first time that they were tinged green instead of red. Perhaps she was an alien. Thinking about it, Mummy and Daddy had never told her that she was human; she'd just assumed it. Then they may not have lied!

But still, it was unfair of them to keep the truth from her. She submerged herself, shaking her head when she emerged. Her hair was almost black when wet, compared to its usual auburn colour. It was a beautiful colour.

She'd seen people swim before, so it couldn't be that hard. One simply had to bring one arm around, then the other, and kick their legs. So that was what she did, and she found that she couldn't breathe for her face was in the water. Coughing, she splashed around for a minute, regaining her footing. It was a good thing to be taller than all her grade and most of the Grade 6's and 7's.

Determination kept her going. And something else was bothering her. Victoria was her best friend, so why did she just stand by while Dane hit Zia? Was she in on whatever was going on? Did she think that Zia was a freak? If that was what she thought then she was a bad best friend. They ate together at lunch, sat together in class and played in the park together, so why was she being mean too? It wasn't fair! Zia hadn't done anything bad to them! Did they have something against these 'Vulcans'?

That must be the answer. They probably learned that she was Vulcan and for some reason they don't like Vulcans, so they decided to let her know that. Even she knew that it wasn't wise of them, given that she didn't even know that she was Vulcan. And she still didn't know what a Vulcan _was_.

Wow. She blinked and came to a stop. While thinking, she'd fallen into a smooth stroke and had reached the end of the pool. So she turned and went the other way, loving the feel of power that swimming gave her. It was amazing – like she could do anything. Power and weightlessness filled her and she thought of her parents again.

They may have lied about being her parents, but they hadn't lied about loving her.

o.O.o

Mummy and Daddy looked up as Zia entered the house and immediately noticed how wet she was.

"Oh honey, are you okay?" Mummy asked, ceasing to pace.

"Yeah," Zia replied. "I just went for a swim."

"You can swim?"

"I taught myself how to do it," she said proudly. She hesitated. "You're my Mummy and Daddy, always have been and always will be. I love you and nothing will change that."

Tears filled Mummy's eyes and she and Daddy hugged Zia tightly. "We'll protect you," Mummy whispered. "We'll do our best to protect you from the mean people, because we love you."

They did their best to protect her, everything short of sending her away to Vulcan. Zia was pleased about that. She didn't want to go to some strange place away from Mummy and Daddy. They didn't tell the government, and the big people didn't find out. So she had to deal with the increasing bullying, even as all but one tutor turned a blind eye. Mummy and Daddy spent lots of money on getting Zia psychologists to come in every week from other states, places where no one hated her. Her parents loved her through everything, and for that they became her heroes.


	5. Spock's Journey Through Starfleet

Here we are with another chapter. This is the last of the finished chapters and after this, posting will not be as regular. Thank you to everyone who has followed, favourited and reviewed so far!

And thank you again to **MoreColourfulMoniker**

Summary: What Spock has to deal with when he reaches the Academy.

o.O.o

**Chapter 5 – Spock's Journey through Starfleet**

"What the hell is that?"

"Is that a _Vulcan_?"

"What's it doing here?"

"Do you think it's lost?"

As Spock walked into his first class at Starfleet Academy, he feigned ignorance to the whispers that his classmates so carelessly shared. He merely sat at the front of the class, pulled out his notebook and textbook and sat still, ready to take notes.

It was his first day at the Academy and the preceding months had passed in a daze. He'd passed the Preparatory Program with little issue and then packed for Earth, arriving in a flurry of activity and more emotion than he'd been subjected to for the duration of his life. His mother had been tearful as she hugged him goodbye for the duration of the term. When she hugged him he stood stiffly, eyes focused on the wall opposite in an attempt to keep his own emotions in check. With his mother he could never hide anything and she knew of his aversion to intimacy.

_"__As always, whoever you choose to be, you will have a proud mother."_

The Vulcan High Council had thought them both a weakness. They thought that emotion was a weakness. Sometimes it was, especially in command situations, but he could understand some merits to emotions. It did assist in family situations to keep the bond close. He would never admit to _anyone _of his emotional attachment to his mother, and he would not show any emotion in the face of these insensitive classmates.

Earlier in the week he had received his timetable. It was tucked in the drawer of his bedside table; he'd taken one look at it and memorised its contents.

**_Timetable: Spock_**

_Class 1 – _Introduction to Physics (PHYS 101) Block-A, Rm 6

_Class 2 – _General Physics (PHYS 205) Block-A, Rm 12

_Class 3 – _Starship Engineering (ME 445) Block-B, Rm 18

**_Lunch_**

_Class 4 – _Astrophysics (PHYS 310) Block-B, Rm 12

_Class 5 – _Photonics (PHYS 208) Block-B, Rm 1

_Class 6 – _Advanced Self-Defence (PE 214) Block-D, Athletic Compound

Classes begin at 0900 and each goes for one hour. Lunch is at 1200 for one hour. Classes finish at 1600.

Also, his supposed 'roommate' had requested a room change since learning that Spock was Vulcan. The other man's request had been accepted without hesitation.

Finally the professor strolled in, a scarf wrapped around his chin, forty-two-point-five seconds late. He quickly untied his scarf and slid a data chip into the projector with one hand, opening his PADD of notes with the other hand. Finally he shook his head, snow spraying for a few feet around him. Two women also in the front row recoiled as they were showered with snow, but were quickly entranced by the human professor's golden hair and roughly-shaven face. Spock recognised that the man was physically appealing by human standards.

"Good morning all," he said in a polished English accent. "My name is Professor McNeil and I welcome you to your first _Introduction to Physics _class." He opened a file on his PADD. "I will begin by calling the roll."

Then he rattled off names and cadets answered. A voice behind Spock caught his attention.

"You reckon he was too stupid for the Vulcan Science Academy?" a cadet whispered to his friend.

"I don't know," his friend murmured in reply. "He must've done something pretty bad to be here right now."

"Mister Spock," Professor McNeil said smoothly.

"Present," Spock replied, keeping his head down. The whispers broke out again and he tuned it out, focusing on what Professor McNeil was beginning to say.

"I also teach your _General Physics _class," he was saying. "It is a requirement of the courses – you cannot have one without the other. Now in this class we will cover the history and applications of physics on a universal scale…"

o.O.o

All day the whispers had followed Spock. He attended all his classes, as was proper, and paid undivided attention to each professor.

In _Introduction to Physics _they learned of classical physics, as well as the basics of physics in accomplished cultures such as the Klingons and Romulans. In _General Physics _they examined anomalies in space and began studying black holes.

Then he moved to his _Starship Engineering _class in Block-B, finding that he rather liked the labs. He could pull up all known Starship schematics, whether they were Ferengi traders or Klingon warbirds, and for this term they were focusing on the Warp Core.

For lunch he ate a Vulcan salad, a poor imitation of his mothers, and sat in his dorm room alone, attempting to enjoy the solitude. He knew that he would spend many hours sitting there alone, studying or reminiscing, and that thought did not help his nostalgia.

_Astrophysics _was easily his favoured class, given that he had already studied the material that they were learning. It did give him an edge when it came to taking notes on star formations and the like. As for _Photonics, _that was the most basic physics that he had learned when he was twelve. It was merely covering topics that he had brushed over during his studies on Vulcan.

In _Advanced Self-Defence _one of the other cadets had attacked him with wild technique, and Spock was forced to defend himself, grappling the man and almost breaking his arm. Self-defence was something that every Vulcan child learned, but he though it prudent to keep to his studies and perhaps learn techniques that Vulcans couldn't teach him. He did his best to turn his opponents' technique against them, only touching them when absolutely necessary. Due to his telepathic ability, to touch someone was an invasion of their privacy. Besides, he did not condone battle. Self-defence was merely necessary to survive.

There were more aspects to the Academy than just classes. He learned of the Tri-D Chess Club, the Study Club, the Swim Club and countless others. Needless to say he felt no inclination to join any of those clubs. He was here to achieve high and show the Vulcan High Council that they had misjudged him.

But as a half-Vulcan, he was subjected to ridicule and verbal sparring by other cadets. They mocked him, saying he was too stupid to get into the Vulcan Science Academy, telling him to have a go at them and use his Vulcan voodoo skills to hurt them. It was most illogical, given that if he was not so controlled he could easily hurt them. But the worst taunt of all was calling him an emotionless, pointy-eared, green-blooded hobgoblin. He knew it was not wise to feel anger at their words, but it was something that he could not help. They didn't understand the strict control in which he held himself. They called him emotionless, but they did not understand that he had to keep those emotions under the surface. They called him pointy-eared, but he could not help that. It was biological. They called him green-blooded, and that was also biological and could not be changed, as Vulcan blood was copper-based. They called him a hobgoblin, and that was illogical given that hobgoblins were fictional creatures.

He went through his days in a rhythm, going to his classes and spending every bit of spare time doing extra classwork and homework, all of which he requested. Professor McNeil had been the only one reluctant to give him more work, which heightened Spock's respect for the man.

Despite all the hard work and hardships, Spock was enjoying his time at the Academy. Admiral Barnett had him under surveillance and due to this Spock was never involved in physical altercations outside of his self-defence class. The Admiral went out of his way to make Spock feel welcome, seeing as he was the first ever Vulcan to attend the Academy, but Spock only felt welcome when he was alone in his dorm.

As time passed, Spock gradually earned the respect of his professors, but his classmates still treated him frostily. He gained no friends in that first term and gladly went home to Vulcan for the holidays. Mother was there and greeted him with home-cooked food.

"You're so grown up!" she exclaimed, spooning m'lu into a bowl for Spock. "I can't believe you're twenty already."

"I was twenty years of age when I departed, Mother," Spock said gently, accepting the m'lu from her.

"Your father should be back soon." She glanced at the clock. "So has anyone been giving you a hard time?"

"No, Mother. I have not been involved in any physical confrontations aside from my self-defence class, and the verbal insults do not bother me."

"Don't lie," she murmured. "You just haven't found the place where you belong."

"I wish to request that we abstain from discussing that aspect of the Academy," he said shortly, tiredness washing over him. He needed to sleep, as he had barely slept during the exam period.

She looked concerned. "Okay, if it makes you uncomfortable. Have you been working hard?"

"My work should be reflected in my marks," Spock replied logically. "I will be displeased if they are not."

He didn't have anything to worry about. He passed each course with full marks, getting 100% for four of them. Invigorated with success, he resolved to work harder to reach 100% in all his courses in order to become a distinguished graduate once he completed his four years.

But about halfway through his second term he learned just how much his classmates disliked him.

He was going back to his dorm from the library when a group of them staggered in front of him, completely drunk. That type of behaviour wasn't tolerated in the Academy, he knew, but there was little to be done when some cadets decided to go for a drink.

"You!" one of them shouted. "Your mum is a whore!"

Spock's ears began to burn and he made to walk around them. Two of them pushed him back and they made a line in the corridor so he could not pass.

"You heard him," another slurred. "Go run to your whore mummy and cry in her skirt because the big boys were mean to you."

That was illogical, given that Spock was taller than all of them.

"Come on, give us a go. We'll go easy on you."

The foul scent of alcohol washed over him and he fought a gag.

"FIGHT ME!"

Two of them pushed him back but he held his ground, searching for a way to get past without injuring any of them. One roared and leapt for him, leaving Spock no choice but to sidestep and allow him to crash into the wall opposite. Two of them collided as they both reached for him and Spock was able to slip through the gap and race up the corridor to his room. Once inside he sunk onto his bed, breathing deeply. He would need to meditate to calm down.

o.O.o

The next day the five cadets lodged a complaint, claiming that Spock had assaulted them. Three of them sported bruises, but they were of their own doing – one had fallen against a wall and two had hit each other in their drunkenness.

Still, it was enough for all six cadets to be sent to Admiral Barnett's office.

The Admiral sat at his desk, staring at the five fidgeting men and the attentive Vulcan. "You do know that fighting will be punished," he said. The cadets all nodded. "I want one of you to tell me what happened."

"Well sir, we were heading out to meet some friends when he attacked us and beat us up," said the cadet who had hit the wall. "Darren and Kyle were able to escape, but myself, Raiden and Sweeny got beat up pretty bad." He touched the back of his head. "He kicked me here."

Admiral Barnett nodded. "Spock, what do you have to say?"

"Yesterday at 2045 I was returning to my room after studying at the library all evening. In the corridors I came across these five cadets in a drunken state. They accosted me, insulted my mother and requested that I instigated a fight with them. I did not touch them. Their injuries are the result of their own alcohol-induced unbalance." When Spock finished he felt a small worm of pride. He had told the truth and no one could hold him against it.

The Admiral looked at them for several long minutes. Spock sat calmly, while the others were constantly moving and fidgeting. Finally he spoke.

"The five of you, Darren, Kyle, Eely, Raiden and Sweeny, you should know better than to be drunk on campus and attack while unprovoked. You will each receive one-hundred hours of community service as punishment." He curled his lip in distaste. "You're lucky that I don't expel you. I expect you to keep your distance, and if I _ever _hear of you doing something like this again, you will be expelled."

They gaped. "But sir," Eely said, "we were telling the truth-"

"Make it one-hundred and fifty for lying to a superior officer." Admiral Barnett waved to the door. "See yourself out." All the men scuttled outside, slamming the door behind them. "Now Spock, I commend you for telling the truth."

"Vulcans do not lie," he said simply.

"I know, but I'm grateful to it all the same."

"There was no reason to refrain from telling the truth. They broke rules and should be punished accordingly. That type of behaviour should not be tolerated anywhere."

"I agree." He smiled. "You are wiser than your years suggest. I predict you'll do great things here."

o.O.o

As Spock received his Academy diplomas, he thought back to Admiral Barnett's words.

The Admiral was right. Spock had achieved great things, topping every single class and making new records in the Academy. He had published several articles in a Terran physics magazine and was well-known as one of the Academy's most distinguished graduates.

Still, he'd made no friends during the four years. It gave him slight pangs of disappointment, but he thought of his achievements and overlooked it.

Now he had just graduated after four years of gruelling study with majors in Advanced Theoretical Physics, Astrophysics and Engineering. He had proven himself to be brilliant and he had shown everyone just what he could achieve. What was excellent was that he had been offered a teaching post at the Academy, teaching physics, engineering and maybe Vulcan linguistics. It was contract work, as in two years Starfleet would commission the building of a new class of Starships. Spock would be overseeing some of the programming once production began and he was looking forward to it.

He found Mother within the crowd and stood with her and Father. They would stay on Earth for one day before going back to Vulcan. There, when they were alone, Spock had no qualms about allowing Mother to hug him. He loved her after all.


	6. Zia's Journey to Starfleet Part 1

Yes! This chapter has been finished in time! It was one of the most challenging because there was very little on the Starfleet Preparatory Exams and all that. This is my take on the entire entrance program. Make sure you keep your eyes peeled for Part 2! Metaphorically speaking.

**MoreColourfulMoniker **rocks. Best. Beta. Ever.

Summary: With urging from her Science tutor, Zia realises that she's smart enough to get into Starfleet, but first she has to get past the gruelling six-week winter course _and _the terrifying entrance exam.

o.O.o

**Chapter 6 – Zia's Journey to Starfleet Part 1**

In a few weeks Zia would graduate from Payson College after thirteen years of keeping her head down as much as possible. All the other eighteen-year-olds were going out for an afternoon snack and to hang out, excited for the weekend.

Today she was able to hide in a science classroom so she wouldn't be chased and cornered by Dane and his gang or Victoria and her posse on her way home. The room was deserted and she hid underneath one of the benches, out of sight from the entry door. Perhaps today she could escape a beating. She'd become quite good at it recently. Although hiding didn't prevent the weekly psychologist sessions, and she'd grown to despise them after eight years. Eight years times fifty-two weeks… approximately four-hundred and sixteen psychologist sessions in her life. And she would probably have them for many years to come.

The wooden door to the science classroom opened and the sound of heels clacked on the floor. Zia relaxed as she realised that it was just the science tutor, a middle-aged woman called Doctor Lyn.

"You can come out now," the woman said warmly. "They've all gone."

Zia crawled out from under the bench, straightening her trousers and jacket. Doctor Lyn held aloft a PADD, her chocolate brown hair falling over her pointed shoulders. She smiled gently at the Vulcan girl and sat on her desk.

"Did you hear where they were going?" Zia asked anxiously.

"No, but they're probably going to the park to heckle the Tri-D Chess nerds," Doctor Lyn replied. She turned on her PADD and checked class marks. "You know, you've received the highest marks ever in all my years of teaching. Are you going to become a physicist once you graduate?"

Zia stared at her only ally in the college, the only one who was willing to protect her from her cruel classmates. "No, that can't be possible. I'm not _that _good."

"Pish, you're being modest. It comes from your genes," she said knowingly. "What are you planning?"

"To be honest, I don't really know. Science is awesome, but I don't know a place that will accept me. I'm Vulcan and a lot of people don't like my kind."

Compassion filled Doctor Lyn's eyes. "Now, now sweetheart, you're limiting yourself. I'll bet that Starfleet needs a fresh young mind like yours."

Zia's head snapped up. _Could I really…? Was it possible…? Wow!_ "Do you really think so? I haven't thought much about Starfleet, given that the success rate is so low. Only two-hundred people get accepted each year."

"There'll be other benefits too. You can escape from here and start a new life in San Francisco. People won't run you down and beat you up every afternoon." Doctor Lyn shook her head. "I don't want to be stepping in to protect you every other day. You need to get more confidence away from their influence so you can stand up for yourself. You can't go anywhere without someone having a go at you."

Zia considered what she had been told. Yes, it would be awesome to be able to escape from the torture that was her life, but she couldn't leave her parents behind. They were everything to her and she couldn't just abandon them. But what would they say? Mum would say that Zia should go for it, to strike out and have the adventure of a lifetime, and Dad would say the same. It was almost too late and she really needed to start thinking of where she wanted to go in life.

"I want to go to Starfleet."

Doctor Lyn grinned and stood. "I thought you'd say that." She walked around her pristine desk and opened a drawer, taking out a PADD download. "This is a Starfleet Academy Application Form. Just upload it to your PADD and submit your application."

Nodding, Zia pulled her satchel from underneath the bench and grabbed her PADD, booting it up. She slid in the download and opened the file, taking in all the information she had to provide. It was a lot. These people wanted to know _everything_. Her name, age, gender, species, address, date and place of birth, education, tutor recommendations and past college marks. She quickly filled in all the blanks, Doctor Lyn writing a few sentences to recommend her, and finally came the final question.

**_Why are you interested in joining Starfleet?_**

Zia hesitated.

_Starfleet is a place where geniuses can live their dreams. They can explore the far reaches of space and live incredibly fulfilling lives. I am interested in joining Starfleet so I can use my knowledge to help others and ultimately the Federation. I would love to explore and become the best I can be, making friends and allies along the way._

She didn't want to tell them that she wanted to escape Payson and everyone there, excluding her parents and Doctor Lyn. It would make her sound desperate and she didn't want that. Hopefully her current credentials were enough to get her into the Starfleet Academy Preparatory Program.

o.O.o

Mum looked up as Zia came inside, her brow creasing with worry.

"Are you okay honey? What happened?" She stood and rushed over, but was taken aback with the smile on Zia's face.

"Mum, I applied for Starfleet," she said happily. "Doctor Lyn gave me the application and I've sent it."

Mum's mouth dropped open and she hugged her daughter. "What a devious woman!" Mum cried. "She's been very good to us!" She held Zia at arms' length and they began to dance around, smiling and laughing. It was the happiest Zia had been since she was ten. She couldn't believe that she now had the chance to be free from the people she hated.

When Dad came home he was ecstatic. The family was laughing and smiling around the dinner table and Zia was positively radiant. Mum eventually called Doctor Lyn and thanked her profusely, saying that the Abbott door was always open to her.

The next morning Mum came into Zia's room, where she was in the middle of a chemical reaction experiment. Zia's room was very simple, with white walls, a neat bed, clean desk and ordered wardrobe. She kept all her science and college equipment in her desk drawers where they were out of the way. A hand drawn poster of a sunset was tacked up on the wall above her bed, and a scorch mark on the desk was covered by the base to her lamp. Needless to say, when that particular mixture had exploded she'd learnt to not do experiments at her desk, opting to sit on the floor instead.

"Have you heard back from Starfleet?" Mum asked.

"No," Zia replied, holding a test tube up into the light and examining the yellow contents. "I don't expect to get an answer for weeks."

"It's Starfleet," she pointed out. "They'll reply as soon as possible."

"Did you ever try for Starfleet?"

"Gosh no, I'm not as smart as you. I mean, you can figure out a sum without needing a calculator. That is a real genius."

Zia blushed green. "Did Dad?"

"I think he applied for an Engineer position, but he didn't get in. Starfleet doesn't run in the family." She grinned. "You'll be the first one to get in!"

At that, Zia pushed aside the familiar pang. Even though she'd learned about her adoption years ago, it still stung when talking about matters of family. "Well, I hope I'll break that tradition. I've been reviewing all my notes in preparation for final college exams."

"So you should." Mum knelt down beside her and pointed to a test tube. "I think that one will overflow in a minute."

Zia clicked her tongue in annoyance and stuffed a cork in the top of the tube. "Damn, I added a gram too much of sodium. Now I have to start that mixture all over again!"

Mum laughed. "Better make sure you don't get that frustrated when you're taking the Starfleet tests. Dad says they're brutal."

"Where is it all being held?" Zia asked, measuring out more sodium.

"I don't know, but if you get accepted, winter classes begin seven days after you graduate. That's what it's like every year."

"That's less than a month!" Her face fell. "I'll bet all the positions will be filled."

"No, there is no set limit for the Preparatory Program. Anyone can sign up for it as long as they apply more than a week in advance."

Zia smiled. "Maybe I'll have a chance after all." She held up the new mixture of sodium and laughed as it successfully changed from white to yellow.

Later that night, when Zia was getting ready for bed, she checked her PADD messages and caught her breath. There was a message from Starfleet.

_Miss Abbott,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into the admission of the Starfleet Academy Preparatory Program. It is a six-week course that takes place on Stardate 2257.290 designed to prepare prospective cadets for the Starfleet Academy Entrance Exam. Program admission is by testing only and applicants are required to perform satisfactorily on tests examining a variety of knowledge- and personality-based criteria. Testing for admission requires approximately four days. During those four days you will be expected to stay at the facility for the duration of the testing, which is the Utah University for the Gifted, Salt Lake City. Accommodation is provided._

_We hope to see you at the admission test,_

_Admiral Richard Barnett,_

_Head of Starfleet Academy Board_

She almost shrieked in excitement and raced down the stairs to where Mum and Dad were bent over a PADD.

"I got in!" she cried. "Mum! Dad! I got in!"

They leapt to their feet, crying with joy, and danced around with her.

"I'm so proud of you honey!" Mum laughed. Dad grabbed Zia and crushed her in his arms, swinging her around the living room. He only stopped when Mum pointed out that their little girl didn't need to be injured just before college finished and she went off to Starfleet.

They finally settled. "So," Dad said, "I know you're going to the admission exam for the Preparatory Program, but that doesn't mean you can slack off with your final exams. I want you to study hard and get the best results you can. Your tutors can't discriminate against you in that because it gets sent to Panel and they don't know who you are."

"Dad," Zia said calmly, "I know. I've been preparing for these exams for thirteen years and I'm not slacking off. It could affect my chances to get into the Academy and I don't want that. This is my _chance_!" She frowned. "How will I get to Salt Lake City?"

Mum and Dad exchanged a glance. "That's what we were discussing when you came down." She grabbed the PADD they were looking at before and turned the screen back on. "We were thinking you could catch a train down and get off at the University stop." Her eyes softened. "Sweetie, we can't come with you. It would only distract you and Dad has to go away for work."

"Can't you knock off work?"

He sighed. "I'm afraid not. I'll be paid double for the whole month you'll be in the city, and we need that money. Starfleet is expensive and it costs a lot just to enroll you in the Preparatory Program."

Zia's eyes widened. "Then I won't make it all in vain. I'll study as hard as I can and get in so you won't be disappointed." She stood and darted up the stairs.

Patty and Giana smiled at one another. "She'll make us proud," he murmured, taking Giana's hand.

"I know she will," she replied, leaning forward and kissing him.

In her room, Zia leapt into her chair and switched on her PADD, searching up the Starfleet Academy Preparatory Program. She sifted through pages of information before finding it.

**_Admission Testing_**

_The Starfleet Academy Preparatory Program is a six-week course designed to prepare prospective students for the Starfleet Academy entrance exam. Program admission is by testing only, and applicants must perform satisfactorily on a series of three tests: deductive reasoning, spatial orientation and stress reaction._

_Testing for admission to the preparatory program takes approximately four days. A large percentage of test-takers pass the test and enter the program._

_The preparatory program takes place at Starfleet installations throughout the Federation. Students stay at the facility for the duration of the testing and the preparatory program at accommodations provided for them. Cadets living on board Starfleet vessels or at Starfleet facilities can make arrangements to take their initial exams and the preparatory program under the guidance of a Starfleet officer with the rank of lieutenant or higher._

**_Deductive Reasoning Test_**

_The Deductive Reasoning Test measures an applicant's ability to draw conclusions based on a variety of evidence. It consists of a written examination along with holographic simulations designed to pose problems for the applicant to solve. Portions of the test are timed or time-dependent._

_Applicants should complete the test questions as quickly and accurately as possible, but should also be willing to move on to the next question if the current one proves too difficult. Supervisors grade applicants based on the number of questions answered correctly within the allotted time._

**_Spatial Orientation Test_**

_The Spatial Orientation Test uses holographic projections to test the applicant's ability to visualize in three dimensions and understand complex spatial relationships. Tests include manipulating holographic objects to achieve desired spatial relationships and navigating through fields of obstacles to reach a desired goal. Tests are time-dependent, and applicants are graded based on the speed and efficiency of reaching their goal, as well as their overall level of orientation._

**_Stress Reaction Test_**

_The Stress Reaction Test measures the applicant's responses, both physical and psychological, to stress. Starfleet officers must function under stressful conditions. Supervisors test the applicant's stress reactions using holographic simulations and time-dependent responses to those situations._

_For example, a stressful stimulus is introduced into a situation, and the applicant receives a grade based on how quickly and decisively he reacts. Stress Reaction Tests also require an interview with a Starfleet Counsellor trained in stress management issues._

**_Starfleet Academy Preparatory Program_**

_Applicants who pass the examinations may enroll in the Preparatory Program. The program lasts for six weeks, with students spending each day undergoing preparation for their Academy entrance examinations. The program stresses vital skills (including test-taking skills) over facts and information, although students may study available materials in their off hours._

_Students drill in Academy-related skills such as decision-making, spatial navigation, reaction time, deductive reasoning, and stress reactions. Students also learn about the history, requirements, and regulations of Starfleet and the Academy - such instruction is designed to help them make an educated choice regarding their entrance examinations and their goals in joining Starfleet. Students must learn the Academy's regulations and codes of conduct and follow them throughout the training process._

So this was what she needed to know. She glanced at the author and saw that it was an Admiral Briggs from the Utah branch and Admiral Barnett from the San Francisco Branch who had co-written the entry together. If they were Admirals, then the source was legit. Why would an Admiral lie?

o.O.o

Mum and Dad hugged her rtghtly as the train pulled into the station.

"I wish you were coming with me," Zia said, her voice muffled in Mum's jumper.

"Me too," Dad replied, rubbing her back. "If I wasn't leaving tomorrow then we would be."

"Don't shoulder the blame," Mum murmured. "This'll be a good experience for Zia, and you can get used to what it'll be like in the Academy. You'll be feeding yourself and we won't be there to get you up in the mornings."

Zia pulled back, biting her lip. She grabbed her bag, shouldered it, and marched onto the train, sliding her ticket into the machine. Mum and Dad held hands as they watched her take a seat, and they waved as the train pulled away.

The train seats were comfy. Zia stared at the fast-disappearing station, her hand still up against the window. She took a deep breath and relaxed into her seat, straightening her clothes. The carriage was almost empty, except for an old woman with a young girl sleeping in her lap. Zia averted her eyes, as staring wasn't polite, and turned on her PADD, opening a book file so she could read to pass the time.

What a month. She'd been flat-out studying for college exams and the Preparatory Program in every spare moment. Her hard studying didn't prevent the increased beatings. It seemed that Caster and Victoria had realised that they were losing chances to bully her, so they sought her whenever they pleased – during lunch, in between classes, before college started, after college finished, when she was walking home. While they weren't _horrible _beatings where she couldn't move afterwards, the punches and kicks they landed did hurt and long clothes hid the bruises. The one place they never hit was the face, because then they couldn't hide what they did. So they got her stomach, arms and legs. If she wasn't Vulcan she would be constantly making trips to the hospital, but she had greater resilience and the bruises would go after a few days. They knew that if they broke a bone then she wouldn't be at college and they wouldn't be able to hit her for a few days, so they made sure she could get up afterwards.

She didn't like being afraid of them, but what could she do? She was too scared of them to take self-defence lessons and she was able to convince her parents that all she needed was counselling. If they found out she was taking self-defence lessons then they would make her pay, so it was better to go with it. The counsellors didn't know what was going on because she didn't tell them the whole truth. Lying was bad, so she didn't tell them everything. The counsellors were just there for the money and the psychologists didn't understand, so what was the point in them? While they did help prevent nightmares, it wasn't fully-effective and even Zia was smart enough to know that time was the best healer.

Now she was hopefully off to Starfleet, where she could escape. Her tutors had given her full marks for every bit of assessment and she had topped all college records. Thankfully no one found out until after graduation, and by that time she was able to barricade herself inside the house to stay safe. It had been a week since her last beating and she was enjoying the peace.

Land flicked by and Zia stared out the window, her hair covering her ears. The country was quite beautiful with its delicate trees, glistening lakes and dewy grass. It was late autumn and winter would take hold in a month. Hopefully she would still be in Salt Lake City.

The trees and grassland were replaced by buildings and the city formed around her. She could see flashes of people and vehicles with her nose almost pressed against the window. Eventually the train slowed and she slung her bag over her shoulder, PADD held tight. The doors opened and she disembarked, the sounds and smells almost overwhelming her. People crowded around and she pushed through, seeking a brief respite where there were less people. Shouts, cries, laughs… she closed her ears to it all and burst from the train station, sighing as the crowd thinned and she was on the streets of Salt Lake City.

Clutching her bag, she made her way to a bench and sat with her PADD in front of her.

_Directions to Utah University of the Gifted, _she typed in. Her screen came up with a satellite view of where she was with the path highlighted. She stood and kept the PADD held out in front of her as she followed the directions.

It was an easy place to find – an iron fence surrounded the collection of huge stone buildings with a sign declaring it the university she was looking for. She ran through the gates excitedly, hair flying out behind her, and stood at the entrance. Now where to go?

"Hi! Are you here for the Preparatory Program?"

Zia spun and saw a man in a standard brown Starfleet uniform approaching her. He held a PADD and was smiling widely.

"Um, yes," she nodded, pushing her hair behind her ear nervously. "Do you, um…"

"Oh yes," he grinned. "Follow me." She fell into step behind him. "What's your name?"

"Zia Abbott," she replied, "you?"

"Yeoman Crawford, at your service," he did a little bow as they entered the front foyer. "Now," he muttered, checking his PADD, "you are situated in the right wing, Room 78 with five other girls." They began up some steps. "So… when did you come to Earth?"

She blinked. "What?"

"Well, you're Vulcan, and the first one that's come through here."

"Oh, I'd rather not say." She lowered her head and covered her ears with her hair as much as she could.

"I respect that," Yeoman Crawford shrugged. It didn't really count for much, as she knew that he would search up her file as soon as they parted. Would everyone want to know where she came from? She didn't want to lie, but she didn't want to talk about it. They might think like Caster and Victoria and she wouldn't have peace for the whole six weeks.

"How many people have applied in Utah?" she asked.

"Thirty-six out of the whole state," he said slowly, scrolling down a list of names. "You were the twenty-eighth to apply. Here we are!" He pointed to a door labelled 78. "You're the last one from this room to arrive; all the other applicants are in there."

Voices sounded from inside. "Thank you," Zia said hesitantly.

Yeoman Crawford smiled. "Good luck." He turned on his heel and strolled back the way they came. Zia took a deep breath and flicked the switch, clutching her things close as the door slid open.

Five girls stared at her, a mixture of heights, hair colours, eye colours and body shapes. The oldest looked to be about thirty, while the youngest about twenty. So now Zia was the youngest. What fun.

"Hi," she said nervously. "I'm Zia."

They just stared for a second then went back to chatting. She glanced at the only free bed in the room, covered by bags, and walked over to start taking the bags off. As soon as she touched the first one someone snapped.

"Oy!" a girl shouted. "Don't touch my stuff!"

Zia jumped back. Were they really going to be like this? She spun and ran from the room, following the path which Yeoman Crawford had taken. He was standing in the foyer talking with another Yeoman.

"Hey," she called, "Yeoman Crawford, can I speak with you?"

He nodded at the other Yeoman and joined Zia, his hand hovering over her back as he led her aside. "What did the other girls say?" The look on her face was all he needed. "I'll be sure to mention that to the instructors. We don't want people like that coming to the Academy." He made a small note on his PADD. "We have Room 10 available; it's a single room with its own bathroom. I suspect that you don't feel comfortable being around a load of strangers."

"No. You've read my file, haven't you?"

"I will admit to it, but it's my job. Come, I'll take you to your _new _room." Again they went a short way up a different corridor, stopping in front of a solid wooden door. "This is the older part of the University, so be sure to keep it tidy."

"I will."

He quickly demonstrated the keypad code and stepped aside. His face softened. "Good luck Miss Abbott."

"Thank you Yeoman Crawford." She nodded and smiled before retreating into her room. It was much nicer than the previous one with a double bed, a tiny bathroom, small wardrobe and it even had a desk. She got to work unpacking all her things and when she was done she set her PADD to charge. It was cold outside but she wanted to explore the University. If she was lucky, she might even find the library before it got dark.

o.O.o

"Welcome applicants, to the Starfleet Academy Preparatory Program. I am Commander Stevens, and I am in charge of the program this year. We will begin by testing each of you for admission, and those who pass will attend the six-week course to take place at this very location. I trust you've already eaten breakfast, and without further ado we will begin your testing. You will all follow Yeoman Crawford into the exam room immediately."

Murmurs broke out around the room.

"Is he crazy…?"

"Why do we have to do the test right away…?"

"This is so unfair…"

Zia stood and followed Yeoman Crawford, beanie pulled tight over her ears. Seeing that someone was moving, the rest of the applicants followed and they were silent as they took seats in the exam room. It was quite comfortable, Zia thought, but her eyes were on the paper and pen in front of her.

Commander Stevens took his place at the front with two Yeomen flanking him on either side. "I trust you are all well aware of exam conditions. Anyone caught talking, cheating, or using any electronic device will be expelled from the program. Got it? You have forty minutes to finish the test. If you haven't finished when the time is up… tough luck! You may begin now."

There was a mad dash for pens and Zia carefully opened the exam open, staring at the first page.

**_Question 1_**

_Which is an example of a deductive argument and why?_

**_a)_**_There are 25 CD's on the top shelf of my bookcase and 14 on the lower shelf. There are no other CD's in my bookcase. Therefore, there are 39 CD's in my bookcase._

**_b)_**_Topeka is either in Kansas or Honduras. If Topeka is in Kansas, then Topeka is in North America. If Topeka is in Honduras, then Topeka is in Central America. Therefore, Topeka is in Kansas._

**_c)_**_No one got an A on yesterday's test. Jimmy wasn't in class yesterday. Jimmy will make up the test today and get an A._

**_d)_**_All human beings are in favour of world peace. Terrorists don't care about world peace. Terrorists bring about destruction._

Okay, she had to focus. To find a deductive argument she had to figure out whether or not it was valid and what the premises and the conclusion was. There are 25 CD's…

**_Answer:_**_The answer is __**a**__, because it has two premises and a conclusion that follows logically from them. Choice __**b**__ has three premises and the conclusion does not follow from them. Choices __**c**__ and __**d**__ have conclusions that do not follow the premises._

This wasn't that bad.

**_Question 2_**

_Which of the following would make the best major premise for a deductive argument?_

**_a) _**_No one knows if an asteroid will collide with the Earth._

**_b) _**_There are no asteroids._

**_c) _**_Those who believe asteroids will hit the Earth have overactive imaginations._

**_d) _**_Scientists have proven asteroids will not hit the Earth._

Wow. This was almost too easy! A deductive argument related two terms and was a generalisation, rule or principle. There was only one logical choice.

**_Answer: _**_The best choice is __**c**__ because it relates two terms (asteroids and imaginations) and it is stated as a generalisation._

By the time she reached the end of the paper she was pleased with her progress. There were still ten minutes to go and the rest of the applicants were furiously thinking or writing. She took five minutes to go over her whole paper and check her answers. Then she realised that she'd skipped a question. Question 18 had taken too much time to read so she skipped it. Now she went back to it and completed it and still had two minutes to spare.

Time went by quickly. "And this is the end of the exam!" Commander Stevens called. A few people sighed with relief. "Ah! Not a sound from any of you. You are still under exam conditions." He nodded to the Yeomen. "They will take five of you to the simulation room to complete the second part of the test." The Yeomen tapped five desks, one being Zia's. She stood and left the room with the other four applicants. The simulation room was down a few flights of stairs and they reached it in no time.

There were five stations in the room, each designed to project a different holographic simulation. Yeoman Crawford motioned to Zia and she stepped into one, allowing him to strap a band to her head that would measure her brainwaves. It wasn't the first time she'd been in one of these.

Immediately the simulation started.

A young girl stood in front of Zia, smiling widely. "I'm getting my driver's licence tomorrow! It's my birthday tomorrow! I can buy a car!"

Zia tilted her head. "Actually, you can just get a licence. Your argument doesn't say anything about buying a car, just that you're getting your licence."

The girl nodded and the simulation changed. Zia flew through the questions without noticing Yeoman Crawford, her exam supervisor, watching her like a hawk.

When the exam finished she was given free time for the rest of the afternoon. It was already day two of the Preparatory Program, which meant that in two days Zia might be going home. That wasn't a possibility. She wasn't going to fail the admission; if she was going to fail it would be in the Entrance Exam.


	7. Zia's Journey to Starfleet Part 2

Part 2 is finally up! Apologies for lateness, but it's exam block and I've had a lot more on my mind. Thankfully there's only one exam left, and that's English! Hahaaa analysing the book 'The Grapes of Wrath' is so much fun...

Thank you to **MoreColourfulMoniker **for the insight into this chapter.

Summary: With urging from her Science tutor, Zia realises that she's smart enough to get into Starfleet, but first she has to get past the gruelling six-week winter course _and _the terrifying entrance exam.

Reviews, favourites and follows are welcome!

o.O.o

**Chapter 7 – Zia's Journey to Starfleet Part 2**

The next day she did the Spatial Orientation Test. Zia had fun navigating through the busy shopping centre in search of a particular restaurant. Once she'd completed that simulation she was placed in an abandoned castle with the goal to find a wooden chest. She had to visualise the entire scenario and make sure that she understood complex spatial relationships enough to be able to navigate through her obstacles.

On the final day before the six-week course all thirty-six applicants underwent the Stress Reaction Test. Zia was placed in the simulator and appeared on the Engineering Deck. She had twenty seconds to find a missing piece of the main computer and install it properly before the ship blew up. If she were human she would have been sweating, and she got the piece installed with a split second to go.

Then she was being chased by these huge creatures that she didn't know the name of. She ran as fast as she could but they were right behind her, saliva dripping from their foamy mouths and small mean eyes trained on her. There was no chance of escape on foot. She glanced around frantically. There was a cliff to the distance. Abruptly she changed her course and ran for the cliff, the creatures bounding after her. It came closer… and closer… and she jumped. The creatures didn't dare follow her, remaining on the edge of the cliffs snarling and braying. She continued to fall and made her body into a stick, feet hitting the water first.

With a start she exited the simulation and found herself on the floor of the holographic simulation room. She took a few breaths as Yeoman Crawford pulled the band from around her head and helped her up. It seemed that they were testing fear as well as stress. There was no stress without fear – fear of failure, stressing about what would happen if failure occurred.

"Come on," Yeoman Crawford said kindly, "the next stage is the interview."

"I know." She nodded. "Let's do this." She spared a glance at the other applicants, immersed in their own simulations, and followed Yeoman Crawford from the room and down a flight of stairs. This was her final test before the Preparatory Program officially began – she couldn't afford to muck it up.

"Good luck," he said to her, opening a door. She nodded sharply and went inside, taking in the cream walls, the large window and the table with a chair on either side. The door closed behind her and she sat quickly, eyes on Commander Stevens in front of her. He eyed her curiously and she could almost see what was running through his head. Of all the applicants to interview, he'd picked her as one of them because she was a Vulcan; an oddity.

Commander Stevens opened a page on the PADD in front of him. "Before I joined Starfleet I was studying to become a psychologist. I am well versed in signs of lying, stress and panic for a multitude of species, yours included. During this interview I require you to be completely honest and say the first thing that comes to mind. Got it?"

"Yes, Commander," she replied.

"Good. What do you normally get stressed about?"

_The bullies going too far and hurting my parents… _"Failure, I stress about failure. I stress about failing my parents, if all the money, time and effort they put into my education went to waste."

"What do you do to combat the stress?"

_I hide in my room where they can't find me. _"I do something about it. I study hard and make sure I work smart to get the best results possible."

"If I were to, right now, take you outside and make you give a speech to a hundred people about what it's like to be in Starfleet, what would you do or say?"

_I would curl up in a ball. _"Unfortunately I don't know what it's like to be in Starfleet, so the premise of the speech is illogical given that you are far more qualified than I to do so."

Commander Stevens brought a series of images onto his PADD screen. "This is an ink-blot test. I want you to tell me the first thing that comes to mind when you see each picture."

"I see a dove… a star… a human eye… a cosmic storm… pi… a snowman… the Federation symbol… an oak tree… a Starship… a frog… two sparrows…"

"Good," he said, flipping the screen back around, "no hesitation at all. Now, if you go to the Academy what types of stress do you think there will be?"

_The type of stress that won't be there is the stress of being beaten up every other day. _"There will definitely be the stress in the amount of work to be done, as well as the stress of balancing a social life with Academy life. Also, for people from other planets, they have the stress of being in an unfamiliar place far from home. Others will stress about how they'll be paying for the whole four years if they don't have a scholarship."

His face was unreadable. "Congratulations, you've completed admission. You will know in the next few days if you passed or not."

"Thank you, Commander," she said respectfully, standing and leaving the room. He stared after her thoughtfully. Though she hadn't lied during the interview he detected a few moments where she didn't tell the full truth because he could see her jaw clench, but she must have had a good reason. Her file said that she'd been seeing psychologists since she was ten-years-old but it didn't say why. He was willing to give her a little leeway on that account – a Vulcan growing up on Earth would have had a tough time.

o.O.o

Only twenty applicants made it through admission to begin the Preparatory Program, and Zia was one of them. She had topped admission and was very eager to begin the program. Her parents were incredibly proud.

Over the next six weeks the twenty of them sat a four-hour class every day. Each week had a different focus to prepare prospective cadets for what it would be like in the Academy.

Week 1: basic _Mathematics, English _and _Science_. It was a straightforward recap of everything done during college years. They sat a test on the last day of the week before having the weekend off to relax. Zia didn't relax; she spent the entire weekend brushing up on her knowledge of Starfleet. She didn't speak to anyone, making no friends, but no enemies either.

Week 2: _History of Starfleet_. She'd made a good move by studying on the weekend. For the whole week she was ahead of everyone and she was certain that she nailed the test, while others spent the hour at dinner complaining about how hard the questions were. That weekend she took the time to go sightseeing around Salt Lake City and take photos to show Mum and Dad.

Week 3: the _Prime Directive_. This was something very interesting to her. They studied the list of Starfleet Rules and Regulations, in particular the Prime Directive. She learned that interfering with the evolution of a civilisation was the worst thing that any person could do. It was a test she wasn't too confident about, so she resolved to try harder in the weeks to come.

Week 4: _Zero-G Environments_. Starfleet operated in space, everyone knew that. They got to go into a zero-g simulator and learn what it was like in space. That week the exam was practical, with each applicant assessed individually on their reactions to specific situations. Two applicants decided to go home after the test, claiming that the workload was stupid.

Week 5: _Alien Cultures and Customs_. They looked at Romulans and Klingons and how their cultures differed and why it was important to recognise that. Zia understood that that particular week was dedicated to teaching applicants that not everyone they would come across would be human, and that everyone is different. Two more applicants dropped out.

Week 6: _Survival on an Alien Planet_. The last week… They were taught how to survive in different alien environments, like deserts and forests, in any weather. From acid rain to cosmic storms, the list of situations was endless. That was the toughest test, but since she was interested in oceans she found the paragraph on 'what to do on a planet that's almost entirely underwater' very fun to write.

It was a tough two-day wait for the results to come out. Zia spent her time either in the University science rooms, swimming pool or library. She had fun doing experiments, swimming as much as she wanted and reading up about Starfleet courses. If she got in she wanted to have some idea on what she wanted to do. She had to admit that other cultures did seem interesting, as well as oceanography and physics. Physics was her favourite thing ever, though chemistry was still fun.

The results came out. Only seven applicants had passed the Starfleet Academy Preparatory Program. Zia had come at the top and was now eligible for the Starfleet Entrance Exam. This is why she had gone through the previous six weeks – for the possibility to get into the Academy.

For the time-being she was going home. She packed her bags and joined the other six applicants, who had passed, in the entrance. Commander Stevens stood in front of them all, a smile on his face.

"I congratulate all of you for passing the Preparatory Program," he told them. "You have shown that you are prepared and determined to become a Starfleet cadet, and I commend you. In three months you will return here to submit your Entrance Exam. You've earned the break."

Zia smiled and he grinned back briefly before leaving the room. Yeoman Crawford was at the door, ushering the applicants through. She shouldered her bag and slipped past, putting a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Thank you," she murmured.

He raised an eyebrow. "Good luck."

Still smiling, she exited the University grounds and made her way to the train station, where she booked a ticket back home to Payson.

o.O.o

_"__Hi, this is Giana, Patty and Zia. We can't answer right now, but please leave a message."_

"Hey Mum, I'm on my way home now. And guess what! I made it! They'll be sending over the time for the Entrance Exam in the next few days. I can't believe that I'm eligible… and only six other people passed. Call me back?"

She terminated the call and settled back into her chair, staring out the window of the train. Salt Lake City whipped past and was gone in a second, her freedom along with it. Now she would face three months at the risk of more bullying. The past seven weeks had been the best of her life, with the exception of the nightmares that plagued her. Every night they came, and every morning she pretended that nothing had happened, so she welcomed the psychologist.

Time flew and she did some research into the Entrance Exam. There wasn't much, except that the exam was looking for certain qualities that an applicant displayed, including: integrity, intelligence, courage, imagination, and leadership qualities. She had integrity, intelligence and imagination, but lacked courage and leadership skills – it was a side-effect of intense bullying for almost half her life.

Mum and Dad weren't there to greet her when the train stopped at Payson, so she called a cab and sat down outside to wait. She watched the people walk past; families with children, young couples; and wondered what their lives were like. Were any of them like her? Did they understand what bullying was like? Did they go to sleep dreading the nightmares that were sure to manifest?

"Well, look who decided to grace us with her presence."

She spun to the side and spotted Dane Caster with a bag slung over his shoulders. He was eyeing her evilly, his fingers flexing.

"Get away," she said quietly.

He raised his hands in mock-defeat. "Oh no, you're so threatening! Pfft. Six weeks away at Starfleet and you think you're the top dog?"

"Go away."

"No. I think I might stay." He dropped his bag and sat on the bench beside her, putting his arm around her shoulders. Immediately he began to squeeze, the pressure getting harder and harder. He smiled at a passing couple and they smiled back, obviously thinking that they were a couple too. His fingers dug into her shoulder and anger surged through her. She took a deep breath in, expanding her diaphragm, and let her strong bones do the work. No matter how much pressure he put on she was able to counter it. But she was caught unawares when he released his hold and grabbed her throat. "Don't do that again," he threatened, "or I'll make sure you're hospitalised when it's time for you to do your Starfleet exam. I'm sure you don't want to miss it."

She squeezed her eyes shut, the anger disappearing as fast as it had come. Satisfied, he let go, grabbed his bag and strolled into the station, leaving her hunched on the seat with arms tight around her body.

"Miss Abbott?"

Wary again, she looked up and saw the cab she had called. She stood and darted to the cab, sliding into the back with her bag. "Take me to one-forty-six Helvetica Drive."

"Yes ma'am," the cab driver replied, pulling out. A sigh of relief escaped her; she was safe for now.

o.O.o

Michelle, her psychologist, turned off her PADD and leant forward in the chair, crossing her legs. "It's been over a month since I last saw you, Zia. How did the Preparatory Program go?"

"It went very well. I passed and the date is set for my Entrance Exam. I'll be doing it with the rest of the applicants."

"Will you go back to the University?"

"Yes. Mum and Dad can't come; family and friends aren't allowed."

"And how have you been since you got back? Have you left the house?"

"Yes, but only with Mum and Dad and I never left their sides. Dane got to me when I was at the station and I haven't seen him since. I just hope that I can make it through the next few months until I can escape."

"Starfleet is where you want to be free?"

"There are so many opportunities! I have the chance to actually have friends! Granted, it's unlikely, but there'll be new people and so many more chances to get something out of life." She smiled. "I might get rid of the nightmares for good."

"When did you last sleepwalk?"

"Um, I think about the second week of the Preparatory Program. I woke up in the bathroom so I don't think I left my room."

"That is real progress. I hope you do well on the exam. You deserve to be happy."

o.O.o

Three months later she was at the station again. Dad was away on work and only Mum was seeing her off. He'd left a message though, and that was all Zia needed. At least they had faith in her; she didn't have faith in herself.

"You'll pass this thing," Mum said comfortingly. They heard the sound of the train coming closer.

"This time I don't know what to expect."

"It's just for one night. I should be back tomorrow."

"I'll miss you." Mum hugged her tightly and the train pulled in. The doors opened and Zia let go of Mum, shouldering her small bag. Mum stepped back and allowed her daughter to slide her ticket into the machine and board the train. She watched her move down the aisle and sit next to a woman about her age. "Good luck," she whispered, raising her hand in farewell.

Zia stared at Mum as she disappeared into the distance. This time it didn't hurt as much to be separated from her parents, as she knew that she was heading for her chance to make something of her life. She sat back down in her seat and tucked her bag underneath, taking out her PADD as an afterthought. The woman next to her was an Aenar and she had headphones over her ears, playing some kind of classical music. Zia switched on her PADD and opened up her Starfleet notes. She glanced at the Aenar again and opened up a Web page, searching the alien species.

**_Physiology_**

_The Aenar are a humanoid race native to the Northern Wastes of Andoria, and a subspecies of the Andorians. The Aenar are physiologically very similar to the Andorians, which is reflected in their genome. Like Andorians, they have two antennae sprouting from their heads, although the antenna of the Aenar has small indentations in the funnel shaped tips. The Aenar are completely blind yet have the ability to "see", and all have no skin or hair pigment, resulting in a pale white appearance similar to Human albinos. The most distinctive trait of the Aenar, however, is their highly evolved telepathic abilities. An Aenar is capable of reading minds and of psychically projecting itself to other humanoids. They use telepathy to communicate amongst themselves._

Interesting… She might never know when that would come in handy. It was actually quite fascinating, as apparently they lived underground on a moon. She wondered what this one was doing on Earth. What was her purpose? Zia only knew what Aenar were because of her biology classes, but she never thought she would _see _one. There were only a few thousand of them.

For the rest of the trip she mused about what kind of courses she would choose if she got into the Academy. Physics (definitely), oceanography and anthropology were her first choices. She wouldn't mind chemistry, but physics would always be her first science choice. Physical education or some course like that wouldn't be too bad either.

The Train finally pulled into the University stop and Zia grabbed her bag and got off quickly, noting that the Aenar also climbed off, music still in her ears. Zia already knew the way to the University and moved confidently, navigating through the crowds with ease. No one knew her here, so it was easy. When she reached the University she climbed up the steps and found Yeoman Crawford in the foyer.

He smiled. "It's good to see you!"

"Likewise," she nodded. "Am I late?"

"No, you're actually the first to arrive." He glanced behind her. "Ah, our special guest is here. Miss Abbott, you have the same room as last time. Please make your way there immediately. You have two hours before you are to meet up with everyone else in the small exam room." Now finished, he moved around her and to the entrance. She glanced behind her and blinked as she saw the Aenar standing in the doorway. That was weird. Shaking her head, she leapt up the stairs and headed down several corridors to the old part of the building. The room felt like she had never left. She threw herself across the bed and sighed.

Now the real challenge was about to begin.

o.O.o

"Applicants, welcome back. You've passed the Preparatory Program and are due to begin the Entrance Exam. It will be challenging, and none of you may make it through. In front of you is your _Hyperspace Physics _test. When I start the timer, you may turn over your paper and begin. I wish you the best."

Commander Stevens tapped the side of the timer and it began to count down from thirty minutes. Zia flipped over her paper and got to work on the test. The other six applicants were furiously writing and she narrowed her focus so that the paper was all that mattered.

She flew through the questions, panicking slightly as the test didn't seem to end. For each question she answered there seemed to be two more, and the paper wasn't getting any thinner. Even worse, time was ticking away faster than she thought it could.

One question stood out. _If the matter and antimatter tanks on a Galaxy-class Starship are nine-tenths depleted, calculate the intermix ratio necessary to reach a starbase one hundred light-years away at Warp Factor 8._

It was a trick. It had to be a trick. There was only one matter and antimatter intermix ratio. The answer had to be _one on one_. She quickly wrote it down and turned the page over, sighing in relief as she had reached the end of the test. That had been one of the most nerve-wracking moments of her life to date, and she'd had some pretty anxious times – most of them had to do with hiding in the science rooms after classes ended. Today was different. Today she could actually _do _something with her life instead of cower in her room.

She leant back in her chair and glanced at the other applicants sitting in front of her. They were all human, unlike her, and were still writing. The timer on the wall said they had one minute left. She used that minute to double-check her answers quickly.

_Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!_

"Alright, pens down," Commander Stevens said quietly. They obeyed. "Take a ten minute break and come back here for your next test."

Zia stood and raced out the door ahead of the others. They went a short way up the corridor to the tap and took a drink, chatting quietly.

"You're so lucky that physics comes so easily," one of them said to another. "I can never get used to all that physics-mumbo-jumbo."

"What about that last question? What did you say?"

"I thought the ratio was five to one. What about you?"

"It was a trick question. The answer was one to one."

"Oh no… am I going to fail?!"

"It depends if you do well in other areas. I mean, I'm worried about the psych test. I've heard that it's supposed to test your greatest fear."

"That doesn't sound too good."

"Hell no it doesn't."

Yeoman Crawford stepped out of the exam room. "Excuse me, applicants; please return to your seats for the next part of the exam." He gestured to Zia and held the door open for her to enter.

"Thanks," she murmured.

"No problem," he replied, keeping the door open for the rest of the applicants.

She sat down again, noting the title of the test. It was labelled _Carlundrum IQ Test_. They were testing her IQ now, to see how intelligent she was. She knew it would be very similar to her college exams, where they tested how well she read a question and understood it.

Commander Stevens took his place at the front of the room. When all eyes were on him, he ripped the timer from the wall. "We have no set time for this exam. If you haven't already guessed what this is, then you will fail. You may begin now."

It still shocked her at how straight-forward and blunt these people were about exams. At college, there had been all this messing around at the start of assessments. Now though, at Starfleet, they were being so direct with things that it was strange.

**_Question 1_**

_A pie can be cut into more than seven pieces by making only four diameter cuts through its centre._

_True or False_

True.

**_Question 2_**

_Which number should come next in the series?_

_1, 3, 6, 10, 15_

**_a) _**_8_

**_b) _**_11_

**_c) _**_24_

**_d) _**_21_

**_e) _**_27_

21.

**_Question 3_**

_At the end of a banquet 10 people shake hands with each other. How many handshakes will there be in total?_

**_a) _**_100_

**_b) _**_20_

**_c) _**_45_

**_d) _**_50_

**_e) _**_90_

C.

And so it went, the questions becoming progressively more difficult. Since it was an IQ test she knew that her reaction time was important, so she made sure she answered the questions as fast as possible. In situations like this it was good to have her Vulcan brain, because she flew through the questions easily. At times, being a Vulcan was great.

She was the first finished. After those first few questions, the rest were oriented around predicting the variable patterns of platonic solids. Now that it was over, she realised just how easy it was to pass at this test. The applicant in front of her was sweating. She relaxed in her chair, closing her eyes. If she wanted to leave then she had to wait for the others to finish. It took several long minutes, but they finally did.

"Excellent work," Commander Stevens said. "You've got a good hour before your next test, and I expect you to be here on time."

Again, the room emptied and Zia followed the others out the doors and into the sun. It was weak today, but at least it wasn't raining. Since the snow had gone it had been raining non-stop in Payson. She zipped up her jacket, thinking that at least it wasn't raining in Salt Lake City. Mum was probably at work, as was Dad, and they would be indoors.

The other applicants in front of her stopped moving, so she did too. She saw the Aenar from the train approaching them.

"Excuse me," the woman said, "I am wondering where Commander Stevens is?"

"He's around the exam room somewhere," one applicant replied.

"It's just up the stairs, straight up those two corridors and second door to the left," said another.

"The door room is twenty," added a third. And with that, they just walked away.

Zia stared at the Aenar. Something was strange about this. The Aenar were telepathic… they could read minds… and they were blind. They were _blind_.

She stepped forward. "Would you like me to take you to him?"

"That would be wonderful, thank you," the woman replied.

"I'm taking your hand and putting it on my shoulder." Zia gently grasped the slimy fingers and rested them on her shoulders.

"That won't be necessary," said a familiar voice from behind her. Commander Stevens and Yeoman Crawford approached. "Well done! Lilian, this is Miss Abbott. Miss Abbott, this is Lilian and she is one of your tests."

Zia was just confused. "What…?"

"You've just passed the other cultures and species test. Misters Fleming, Darin and Tessa all got partial marks and Mister Alwen, Miss Regina and Miss Reymont failed."

"What test was that?" she asked.

Commander Stevens was still grinning. "Not all tests are announced. We examine how you react when a member of another species is encountered." He tilted his head at Zia. "What went through your head?"

"Well," she swallowed, "I had sat next to her on the train here and I did some research on the Aenar. They're blind, so she wouldn't be able to find you without someone guiding her." She glanced at Lilian nervously. "You do have the ability to 'see', but I'm not quite sure what that means."

"We use echolocation," Lilian explained, gazing straight ahead. Her lips uptilted and she released Zia's shoulder. "I applaud you for your insight in the matter. I also thank you for leading me here, although you did not know it."

Commander Stevens clapped his hands together. "Well, now that that's sorted I think you should continue with your break. There are forty-five minutes until you have to return for another part of the exam. I do believe Lilian here has a few more applicants to test again." With that, he took Lilian's hand and they, along with Yeoman Crawford, went back into the University. Zia glanced at the other applicants in the distance and retreated, moving as far and fast away as possible.

There was a nice tree outside the old part of the building. She sat underneath it and leant against the trunk tiredly. Tonight would be a nightmare night, she could feel it. Even worse, she probably had the _Psych Test _tomorrow and she needed a clear head, so it seemed that sleeping wasn't an option. It wasn't too bad; she'd done several all-nighters during college and could stay up for about five days before desperately needing to sleep again. Her mind wandered, coming to a stop as she remembered Victoria tearing flesh from her side one afternoon. She winced at the memory and squeezed her eyes shut. That was one of the many things she didn't like thinking about – it was too painful.

Feet crunched against the grass. "Excuse me, Miss Abbott?"

She opened her eyes and looked up at Yeoman Crawford. "Yes?"

"You should come immediately so you're on time for the next part of the exam." He held out his hand. She shook her head and stood up by herself, but she allowed him to lead the way back into the building. They walked in silence to the foyer, and past the previous exam room, eventually stopping outside a completely unfamiliar door. "It's time for the _Dynamic Relationship Test_," he said quietly. "Find a seat and I'll be back soon with the rest of them."

Nodding, she slipped through the new hydraulic door and sat in the back corner of the room, staring at the screen in front of her. For the moment it was blank, the controls clean, and the keys counted up several numbers. A few even had mathematical equations on them.

While she was busy examining the console, Yeoman Crawford brought the others into the room and sat them down.

"This is the _Dynamic Relationship Test_," Yeoman Crawford said clearly. "It consists of a 3D cube with a grid configuration. You must match up the blue dots with the red dots before time runs out. Good luck. The test begins now." A timer on the wall began to tick down and all of the computers activated.

A spinning three-dimensional cube was on the screen, consisting of a grid of blue dots in a 6/6/6 configuration. She scanned the image and counted two-hundred and sixteen individual points, as well as two-hundred and sixteen red dots flying around in a random pattern… a _seemingly random _pattern… It wasn't random. She'd done a similar test during her final exams in college, but this was far more complicated. Although it was essentially the same – all she had to do was find the appropriate rotation factor and vector coordinates.

It rotated at approximately eight millimetres in each direction, spinning on the spot. That was equal to two seconds, so her rotation factor was two-to-eight. Vector coordinates… correlation matrix… there was the hyperplane, defined by its two factor vectors! That meant that that dot could join with that dot, that one to that one… no, wrong spot, her calculations were off by 0.01%, better fix that.

The test was gruelling and difficult. She furiously pressed buttons, making sure that the rotation factor of the vectors matched up with the coordinates of the red dots, so it could then join with a blue dot and become purple. Slowly the cube took shape, and all of the sudden every dot turned green and her screen went blank.

Five minutes passed. _Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!_

The door slid open to reveal Commander Stevens. All of the screens went blank and he grinned at each of them.

"You've done a fine job," he exclaimed, leaning against a computer. "Three of you managed to complete the test within the set time." He stretched. "Well, it's about time for dinner. Make sure you get your rest so you're ready for the final test tomorrow!"

Ah. The dreaded _Psych Test_.

o.O.o

The taxi pulled up outside Zia's home and she quickly grabbed her bag and got out, thanking the driver. As he drove away she walked up the front steps and searched her pocket for her key. Disappointment coursed through her. She had failed, and all her parents' sacrifices had been in vain. There was no hope now.

With a start she noticed that the door was already open slightly. Warily, she pushed it open and stuck her head inside. "Mum…? Dad…?"

"In here, honey." Weird, that didn't sound like them.

"I'm back," she called.

"That's wonderful. Did you make it?"

She walked down the hallway, checking every room she passed. "Um, I'm sorry but… no."

"_WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?! _We spent all this money on getting you to Starfleet and you _blow it_!"

"I'm sorry! It's not something I can control! I tried my best!" Something was really wrong. She began to climb the stairs, dropping her bag as she went. A shape moved at the top, heading into her parents' room.

"Your best isn't good enough!" The voice came from her parents' room. She darted up the rest of the steps and flung the door open, clapping her hands over her mouth.

Mum and Dad were tied up, beaten, bloody and bruised. Dane Caster stalked around them menacingly, his eyes glittering.

"What have you done!" she shouted, fists shaking with rage. He had gone too far. She may deal with it if it was her, but her _parents_. That little-

"I got bored with you going away," he taunted, "so I took it out on them." She was torn. If she stepped forward he would probably kill her, but if she didn't then her parents would die. He seemed to read her thoughts and grinned like a fox. "That's right. It's either protecting yourself, or them. It doesn't make sense that you would choose them, as they're obviously not your birth parents." He pulled a knife from his pocket and raised it to Mum's arm.

She'd just failed Starfleet. She was not going to fail the two people she loved most in this world.

With a roar, she threw herself at him, fists flying at his face. He fell under her onslaught, surprised, and she pressed her knees to his chest, punching him as hard as she could. He buried his knife in her arm, but she ignored it. Saving her parents was all that mattered.

_"__Miss Abbott… Zia…!"_

Everything was becoming blurry. Her punches were weaker and Caster pulled the knife out and pushed her away. He advanced on her, knife raised-

She blinked in confusion, a huge light hovering above her head and a ringing in her ears. An indistinct face covered the light and she blinked again, rolling over to escape the brightness.

_"__Miss Abbott… Zia…!"_

Awareness snapped through her and she sat up, panicked. What had just happened?!

"My parents!" she choked, grabbing something and trying to pull herself up. "They're in danger!"

"Hey!" someone shouted. Her eyes focused and she saw Yeoman Crawford. "Your parents are fine."

"Then what the hell was that?!"

"It was the _Psych Test_!"

She froze. Now it made sense. She had just faced her deepest fears – failing her parents and them being hurt. The simulator still buzzed beside her, its controls twisted from where she presumed she fell over.

"What happened?"

"Midway in your test you began to convulse. You ripped away and fell over with all the signs of a seizure. I administered a shot of _Carbamazepine_ in your arm and you woke up shortly after." She saw the hypos on the floor and realised that it had been the needle that stabbed her arm, not the knife. He tilted his head. "Was it really that bad?"

She slowly lowered herself to the floor. "It was my parents… I came home, I had failed Starfleet, and they were being tortured. I couldn't fail them too, I just…"

"Shh, it's okay," he said comfortingly. "All applicants are somewhat unsettled by this test. You did very well, compared to others." He knelt down beside her. "Your parents are just fine. This was your last test, and you've completed the Entrance Exam. Take the rest of the day off to relax. The results are being announced at dinner."

Nodding, she took a shaky breath. "Thanks."

He smiled gently. "I've seen a lot of hopefuls come through this branch, but not one of them have been half as brilliant as you."

o.O.o

All the other applicants looked just as disturbed as she when they sat down for dinner. It was silent as they all ate, nervous for their results. Only the top 20% of candidates got through, and there was a good chance that none of them would reach above those high scores.

Zia ate her soup without thinking, her mind disconnected from everything. The fear had taken its toll on all of them, but they would soon be okay. It was just a simulation after all.

Once all the food was eaten, they waited impatiently for the results to be announced. They snapped to attention when Commander Stevens walked into the dining hall, Yeoman Crawford in tow. All faces were grim.

"You all performed very well," Commander Stevens said calmly, standing with spread legs and hands behind his back in an attention position. "I am proud of all of you for the effort and dedication you showed during both the Preparatory Program and Entrance Exam. I am proud to announce that Mister Tessa," pause, "Mister Darin," pause, "Miss Regina," pause, "Miss Abbott," pause, "and Mister Fleming have exceeded the Starfleet average and will proceed to the Academy come next winter." He grinned. "How do you feel about that?"

"Very pleased, Commander," one said.

"Over the moon!" said another.

Zia was silent with shock. She couldn't believe it, but she had made it. Now she could escape, could reach her full potential. She was now a Starfleet cadet.

And she could boldly go where no one has gone before.


	8. Love at First Sight?

Exam block is OVER! Wooooooo! That means a ton of writing and relaxing. I might even get around to finally updating the movie marathon? Who knows.

Thank you to **MoreColourfulMoniker **for betaing this chapter, and to those who reviewed, followed and favourited!

Summary: Chapters 2 and 3 of _Starfleet Academy_... from Spock's point of view.

o.O.o

**Chapter 8 – Love at First Sight?**

A new year was beginning, his fourth year of being a professor.

Breathing evenly, he checked his notes for his first three classes and ascertained that everything was in order. He was certain that he had all his teaching materials for first-year physics, third-year physics and fourth-year _Warp Engineering_. Once that was completed, he checked his other first-year physics notes, his third-year xenolinguistics and fourth-year _Collaborative Computing_. Everything was in order.

He shouldered his satchel and picked up the pile of books on his table, checking that he locked his door on the way out. First-years were not very bright, and he didn't want another issue where one accidentally wandered into his quarters on their first day. Particularly inconvenient, especially when the sign specifically said _Professor's Dorm_. How could one not understand that?

Cadets greeted him in the halls on the way to their first class of the year. He merely nodded to all of them, with the exception of his favoured pupil Cadet Uhura, to whom he wished a good day. Having a first-year class in the morning was not the envy of any professor, he knew, but it was his job and he had to perform. It was merely a stepping stone before the _Enterprise _was finished. To get to his classroom he had to cross the Quad, so he pulled up his hood and stepped outside, surging through the swirling snow that he hated. Cold was an inconvenience, especially since his physiology was not equipped to handle such low temperatures.

Finally he reached the classroom and strolled through, placing his books and satchel on his desk. The first-year cadets stopped speaking and watched as he brushed snow from his jacket and hung it on a hook behind him. Whispers broke out around the room and he sent them a sharp look. They quietened immediately. His eyes took in the class of twenty, noting the cadets who looked like trouble-makers and the ones who looked ready for the Academy. Strangely, his eyes seemed to return to a woman with auburn hair sitting in the front row with her head down.

He stepped up to the lectern. "Welcome to your first year at the Starfleet Academy. I am Professor Spock, and I am your physics professor. When I call your name, please put your hand up." He opened the list. "Abbott, Zia?" The woman with auburn hair raised her hand without looking up.

It was the same with each name after that. He called out a name and the cadet answered with a hand or a shout. Their whispers were not lost on him.

"What is it with Starfleet and Vulcans?"

Someone snorted. "I bet he's gonna be a real hard marker."

He clenched his jaw and searched the twenty cadets for the offender. His roaming eyes locked for a split-second on the auburn-haired Cadet Abbott and she immediately looked away, taking a deep breath. He kept his face neutral, not betraying the sheer shock he was feeling.

Eight years ago he had become the trailblazer for Vulcans within Starfleet. He hadn't expected to see another in the Academy for many years. In fact, after briefly studying her he knew that he had never seen her before. As he continued down the list he wondered if she might be Romulan. If not, and she was Vulcan, then she would be the second one ever to attend the Academy – the first female. He reminded himself to check her file when he had the time.

With the list completed, he pulled the lectern aside and switched on the projector. Images scattered the wall behind him.

"Physics," he began, "derives from the Greek work _physis_, meaning 'nature'…"

And so the lecture began. Throughout the entire introduction to the history of physics he noticed that Cadet Abbott was one of the few taking notes. More than half the class were staring at the projections behind him, their faces slack. It did not bode well for future lectures.

"Physics also makes significant contributions through advances in new technologies that arise from theoretical breakthroughs. For example, advances in the understanding of electromagnetism or nuclear physics led directly to the development of new products which have dramatically transformed modern-day society, such as warp drive, transporters, tricorders and nuclear weapons; advances in thermodynamics led to the development of industrialisation; and advances in mechanics inspired the development of calculus." He flicked off the projector and turned to the cadets. "Do you have any questions?"

One cadet raised her hand. "Professor, didn't chemistry come before physics?"

"No, physics was the first science created." He did not see the logic in her statement.

Another cadet raised his hand. "Why is it important to know the history of physics? I mean, isn't it just important that we learn how to detect space anomalies?"

He was tempted to send the cadet out of the room for ignorance. "Indeed, that is incorrect. If you know the basics of physics then it gives you an advantage among other sciences. This class is _Introduction to Physics_, where I will teach you the theoretical applications of physics. If you wish to learn a more modern arrangement, feel free to attend just the _General Physics _class. Although I do warn you, if you drop this class then you will be very behind in _General Physics_. Anyone who wishes to leave may do so now."

There was a great deal of shifting in seats and lowered eyes, but no one left. When he was satisfied he returned to the projector and continued the lecture. "Though physics deals with a wide variety of systems, certain theories are used by all physicists, and eventually all of you. Each of these theories were experimentally tested numerous times and found correct as an approximation of nature, within a certain domain of validity. For instance, the theory of classical mechanics accurately describes the motion of objects, provided they are much larger than atoms and moving much less than the speed of light. These theories continue to be areas of active research, and a remarkable aspect of classical mechanics known as chaos was discovered during Earth's 1900s, three centuries after the original formulation of classical mechanics by Isaac Newton. These central theories are important tools for research into more specialized topics, and any physicist, regardless of their specialization, is expected to be literate in them. These include classical mechanics, quantum mechanics, thermodynamics and statistical mechanics, electromagnetism and special relativity." He switched off the projector and finished that particular section by asking, "Who can tell me who Isaac Newton was and what he was famous for?"

A Bolian – Cadet Turon if he wasn't mistaken – raised his hand nervously. "Professor, Isaac Newton is famous for discovering and identifying the three laws of motion. His first law states that an object at rest tends to stay at rest and that an object in uniform motion tends to stay in uniform motion unless acted upon by a net external force. His second law states that an applied force on an object equals the rate of change of its momentum with time. His third law states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction."

"Good work Mister Turon," he replied. "Can anyone tell me the effects that these laws can cause?"

To his surprise, Cadet Abbott raised her hand. "Newton's physics is meant to be universal," she said quickly. "For example, the second law applies both to a planet and to a falling stone. The vector nature of the second law addresses the geometrical relationship between the direction of the force and the manner in which the object's momentum changes. Before Newton, it had typically been assumed that a planet orbiting the sun would need a forward force to keep it moving. Newton showed instead that all that was needed was an inward attraction from the sun. To this date, his idea is still not universally accepted."

He had expected her to embody quiet compliance, based on what he had observed so far. However she knew exactly how to answer his question. "You are very well informed, Miss Abbott." Their gazes met and she kept hers steady, the connection breaking only when he looked down at the lectern. "Would Miss… Lenika please read pages 2-8."

As Cadet Lenika began to read, Spock found himself thinking about the young Vulcan cadet in front of him. He was shocked with himself. Never before had he found a being remotely interesting, and yet here was a woman sitting before him who had piqued his notice.

The class would end in fifteen-point-eight-three seconds. "Homework: one page on the theory of classical physics and its properties, to be expected tomorrow," he said evenly. The bell rang and he gathered his things together quickly, slipping on his hood and leaving the classroom quickly. He couldn't prevent himself from looking around for the Vulcan cadet, but couldn't see her over the rabble of cadets surging from the room.

o.O.o

Spock left Block-B unsatisfied with the progress of the class. He was assured that they were the best _Warp Engineering _class in the last ten years, yet they had been an unruly bunch that he deeply disproved of. Last year's fourth-years were preferable.

Drawing up his hood, he kept his head down and made his way across the windy Quad to the Professor's Cafeteria. How he was missing Mother's m'lu already, and it had only been a week since he'd returned from visiting her.

The next thing he knew, he was stumbling back from a collision. A woman cried out and he heard a thump as she undoubtedly fell. He saw her on the ground, satchel slipping open beside her, and quickly knelt down, collecting her things before the wind stole them.

"You should watch where you're going cadet," he said, tucking everything back in her satchel. It was a familiar satchel.

"I'm sorry Professor," said the voice of Cadet Abbott. She stood. "It's my first day and I still need a map."

He should have been looking where he was going. "My apologies, Miss Abbott," he said, passing over her satchel. She shouldered it and glanced away in embarrassment. He could see her cheeks tinged green from either flush or the wind.

She glanced up nervously. "Would it be too much to ask you to show me where the Cafeteria is, Professor?"

It was a logical question. Yet more questions arose from her demeanour. Surely she should know how to conceal her emotions? It was one of the primary Vulcan teachings. "I was just on my way there myself," he said flatly, continuing on his way. She froze for a second then caught up with him, falling into step. He couldn't help but notice that she was his height. They reached the Cadet Union Building and stepped out of the wind. "It is just through the door to the far right," he told her. "I have something quick to do, but you should not have any issue."

"Thank you Professor," she nodded, smiling. He blinked, confused at her display of emotion, and turned, striding up the corridor.

She completely baffled him. He was certain that she was no Romulan, yet she could not be Vulcan either. If she was, then he would know her. And _why _did she show her emotions?

He closed the door to the first deserted classroom he found and switched on his PADD, loading cadet files. Perhaps it would provide answers.

**_Full Name:_**_Zia Abbott_

**_Species:_**_Vulcan_

**_Gender:_**_Female_

**_Born:_**_2239_

**_Birthplace:_**_Unknown_

**_Age:_**_19 Terran Years_

**_Affiliation:_**_Federation_

**_Mother (Adoptive):_**_Giana Abbott_

**_Father (Adoptive):_**_Patty Abbott_

**_Place of Residence:_**_Payson, Utah, United States of America, Earth_

**_Occupation:_**_Starfleet Cadet_

**_Previous Occupation:_**_Pupil at Payson College, 13 Years_

**_Specializations:_**_Physics, Oceanography, Anthropology_

It only served to increase his confusion – an emotion he rarely experienced. More questions were raised instead of answered.

From what he gathered, she had been raised with a human upbringing and had lived on Earth her whole life. It explained why he had never seen her before, as she had most likely never been on Vulcan, and her birthplace was unknown. This mystery served only to increase his intrigue.

There was something else. He scrolled down her file and discovered that she had been visited by psychiatrists for nine years. The reason was not explained, but it was logical that such things were kept private between patient and psychologist. He closed the file and tucked his PADD into his satchel, leaving the classroom in favour of the Professor's Cafeteria. The other forty professors', as well as several Admirals, were sitting and eating. Admiral Barnett waved him over.

"How are the new cadets shaping up?" the Admiral asked.

"I have not had the opportunity to examine their abilities as I have only two first-year classes," Spock pointed out, moving in front of a synthesiser and ordering salad and kreyla. He breathed in the scent of his native bread and took a knife and fork before taking a seat next to Admiral Barnett.

"I've been told that each year is getting worse than the last," murmured the Admiral. "That might just be us getting old and senile."

"Each year is different, depending on how well parents have disciplined their children." He thought of Cadet Abbott. "However I do see potential within the field of physics for a few individuals."

Admiral Barnett chuckled. "That's more like it! As always, your insight is invaluable." He finished his meal and sighed. "The joys of bureaucracy… well Mister Spock, I must get back to my paperwork. Who knew running the Academy would take so much effort?" His last comment was layered thick with sarcasm, a form of wit Spock had come to know very well regarding the Admiral.

As Admiral Barnett left the room, Spock ate his lunch quickly, yet he had only just finished when the bell sharply rang. He deposited his eating utensils in the dishwasher and gathered his things, heading for his next class. While walking, he was chagrined at the anticipation he felt, as he would be seeing Cadet Abbott again in that class. His reaction to her was something he did not understand. _Why _was he so curious?

The first thing he saw upon entering the room was Cadet Abbott sitting at the front of the room. He took a moment to take in her glistening auburn hair tied up behind her head and pointed ears, after which he took off his jacket and set his books upon the lectern, flipping through them to the source material he would use in class.

A whisper reached him. "For a Vulcan he sure doesn't care about our education."

That kind of remark was a common occurrence, one Spock was used to. Instead of irritation he simply felt the need to discipline the cadet who was disobedient. He would not have them disrespecting him in his own classroom.

His head shot up and he narrowed his eyes on the offending cadet, shoulders tensing. "Perhaps Mister Bishop would like to repeat that statement," he said cynically.

Cadet Bishop shifted uncomfortably, unwilling to meet Spock's gaze. "Uh, no Professor," he stuttered.

Spock's lips uptilted in a slight smirk of satisfaction before he wiped his face clear. "Good. Now that we have that sorted, perhaps we can get on with the class. The topic for this class today is the theory and experiment of physics. Please turn to page 4 and could Mister Bishop please read the introduction."

As he began to read, Cadet Bishop's voice was resentful in tone. Spock had read this physics textbook several times over and was familiar with its contents to the point of memorisation. He waited for Cadet Bishop to speak the final line, "Experimentalists may seek areas which are not well-explored by theorists."

"What does this tell us?" he asked, using his tone to convey his disproval at the previous insult.

Another cadet raised her hand. "It tells us…"

There were two voices underlying hers. He spotted Cadet Abbott and Cadet Turon speaking quietly and they quietened once he'd noticed them. Cadet Abbott shrunk in her seat, her eyes on the wall behind him. Satisfied that they were paying attention, he switched on the projector and began showing physics papers related to theories of parallel universes, analysing the data, levels and possibilities. He gave them an essay on the levels of parallel universes to write for homework.

When the bell went to signal the end of the class and there was the usual rummaging as the cadets gathered their things and filed out, grumbling at the amount of work he had given them. As he reorganised his books and packed them, he could not help but notice that Cadet Abbott was dawdling.

She approached him nervously once they were alone. "Excuse me, Professor," she said hesitantly.

"Yes, Miss Abbott?" he asked, reaching for his jacket.

"I was wondering what Vulcan was like, Professor?"

His back became rigid. So she had never been to Vulcan, just as he suspected. "What would you like to know?"

She bit her lip. "Are the science facilities really as magnificent as people say?"

"Even more so, but if you will excuse me, I have a xenolinguistics class for third-years to teach."

"Of course Professor, have a good day."

He swept from the room, needing to get to his next class. The door swung shut behind him and he tugged up his hood, pushing her from his mind. He had more important things to think about, like teaching his final two classes.

Cadet Uhura was already in the xenolinguistics classroom when he arrived, the only one there so far. She smiled at him and held her PADD at the ready.

"What will we be learning about this term, Professor?" she asked.

"We will study the three dialects of Romulan," he replied, setting up the projector to show the first Romulan dialect.

She chuckled. "I already know those."

"It will do you no harm to revise what you know at present." He didn't seem to feel at ease in conversation with her as he usually was. That was odd.

"I know, but would it hurt to get a head-start on next term?"

"Perhaps not," he admitted.

Perhaps it also wouldn't hurt to keep a close eye on Zia Abbott. After all, she was a Vulcan just like him, and he had to admit that his curiosity was roused.


	9. Gift of a Friend

I know this chapter is late, but yesterday I sat a QCS practice and saw the new _Transformers _movie and didn't get home until 10pm. Trust me, the new movie is so much better than the others because it's got no Shia Lebouf and it's got DINOBOTS! It's awesome, I'd definitely recommend it.

Thanks to **MoreColourfulMoniker **for betaing.

Summary: Xenophobic peers and best friends; Zia finds that some people at the Academy will despise her, but others won't. (Set just after Chapter 7 of _Starfleet Academy_).

o.O.o

**Chapter 9 – Gift of a Friend**

Zia walked into her dorm room, head hanging and shoulders slouched. Not again… not ever again.

"Hey, what's up?" Tara asked from her position on the floor. She saw Zia's face and sat up quickly. "No seriously, what's up? You don't look too happy."

"It's started again," she replied sullenly. "Two first-years teased me in the library." She winced, remembering their sneering faces. "They mocked me, called me stupid, called me a 'pointy-eared' hobgoblin." She trudged to her bed and slumped down. "It's only a matter of time before they decide to make it physical."

Tara leapt to her feet angrily. "What the hell? Why would someone be that mean? I just can't fathom it!"

"Not everyone is good like you," Zia said sadly.

"Are the male or female?"

"Female."

"What do they look like?"

"Tara…"

"No! I'm your caretaker and it's my duty! I promised Spock that I would go to him if anyone gave you trouble."

"Tara…"

"Just stop!" Tara held out her hand like a _Stop _sign. "I'm not going to listen to you on this one. You deserve a friend who will defend you and that friend is me." She stormed from the room and Zia hesitated before racing after her.

She thought of Doctor Lyn, the kindest woman she knew. The good Doctor had been her only ally, the only person in Payson to even think of Zia as a living being. In a way, Tara was like Doctor Lyn, but they were so different too. Yet both were good and kind, and they were the sort of people who would stick up for their friends.

"Tara! Wait!"

"I'm not waiting!"

"One had black hair and the other was anorexic!"

That made Tara stop and Zia ran right into her. Both women went tumbling down in a heap of arms and legs. Zia began to laugh hard as she tried to roll out from underneath Tara, while her roommate snorted unattractively as she was tossed from side to side. Then Tara began to laugh and Zia lay back, her body convulsing as she proceeded to crack up. She didn't understand why she was laughing, but that pile up had been so _unexpected_…

"What the hell are ya doin'?"

The question put an immediate halt in their laughter and they stood up quickly. Zia's ears went green as she realised that those were the women from the library. The one who had spoken had black hair and an Irish accent, while the other was American. Both were human.

"Laughing," Tara replied shortly. "Do you have a problem with that?"

"Oh no, but I do have a problem with ya friend here, the pointy-eared hobgoblin."

"Don't call her names!" Tara thundered, "Don't you _dare _make fun of her!"

"And what'll you do to stop us huh?" the American sneered.

Tara glared right back. "You know what Starfleet does to bullies? They get put on community service, or expelled. I think you'll get expelled."

America tossed her hair and Irish rolled her eyes. "Oh, ya feel so big threatenin' me now, don't ya?"

"That's not even the half of it," Tara hissed. She grabbed Zia's wrist. "Come on, we're calling in the cavalry."

"Ooh, I'm so scared!" Irish mocked.

_You will be,_ Zia thought. Once they were out of sight and earshot she sighed. "I'm sorry. I've just… never really been good with bullies."

"They have no right to do that to you," Tara growled fiercely. "Let's see what Professor Spock has to say about this."

"Say about what?"

Tara laughed. "Wow, you seem to be in the right place at the right time, Professor."

Spock tilted his head, the corners of his mouth uptilting. Zia sighed with relief that he was here and she immediately calmed. Something about his presence always soothed her.

"What is the issue?" he asked, approaching them.

"Go on." Tara nudged Zia.

"Um, I was just doing my work in the library and they just sat down and started insulting me. I don't know who they are or why they did it, but they just did. And they did it again when we were on our way to see you."

He nodded. "I sensed your fear and came to find you immediately."

"I forgot you guys could do that," Tara chuckled. She quietened. "They're coming this way," she whispered. "Zia, let's catch them in the act."

"But-"

Tara ushered Spock out of sight, leaving Zia alone in the corridor. The Vulcan shot a glare at her friends' retreating back and turned to face the two approaching women.

Irish sneered. "Where's ya jigaboo buddy now? Skulkin' in a corner cuz ya are such a loser?"

"No," Zia replied nervously. She was overcome with shame. Spock was right there and so was Tara. They wouldn't let her get hurt, so why was she holding back? Why, after all this time, was she still letting people push her around?

America sauntered forward. "You don't even pluck right. Your eyebrows look ridiculous."

"Oh?" Zia said quietly. "I'm sure it does, but you know what? You can't do anything to change that."

Au contraire! Irish whipped out a pair of tweezers from an inside pocket of her jacket. "If we pluck 'em all out then they'll all be gone."

"What you gonna do about it?" America smirked, stepping forward and pushing Zia's shoulder. She stumbled back and was only prevented from falling by a very solid, very warm body.

"Enough," Spock said, his voice dangerously low. Irish hid the tweezers behind her back and America darted behind her friend.

"We weren't doin' anythin' Professor," Irish said innocently, "just having a friendly chat."

His eyes narrowed. "Cadet McFurleigh, Cadet Wells, you will come with me immediately to Admiral Barnett's office to face either community service or expulsion."

"Why?" America asked stupidly.

"Bullying and xenophobia are not tolerated at Starfleet," he said coldly. The coldness was penetrated by the warmth in his eyes as he looked as Zia, in reply to the gratitude she felt.

Both cadets were forced to follow him to Admiral Barnett's office, throwing dirty looks at Zia. When they were gone, Tara came out from around the corner and embraced her friend.

"They'll be gone," she assured the Vulcan.

"I know," Zia replied. "Spock's pretty cool that way. And you." She held Tara at arms' length. "Thank you, Tara. No one else would have done that."

Tara shrugged. "I would want my friends to do that for me and everyone needs someone to stick up for them."

"Still…" she grinned and bent down, hugging Tara tightly. "You're the best person I've ever known." And she was. Zia knew that that experience had solidified their friendship, and she hoped that they would always be friends.

Later that afternoon both cadets were expelled from Starfleet for bullying a classmate and purposefully distressing a member of another species repeatedly. When Zia went to Spock's room the next afternoon for her private meditation lessons she offered him ta'al, the traditional Vulcan salute. Instead of saying 'live long and prosper', she merely said: "Thank you."


End file.
